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H D 



Wages and Hours in American 
Manufacturing Industries 

July, 1914— January, 1922 



Research Report Number 52 
July, 1922 



National Industrial Conference Board 



THE CENTURY CO. 
NEW YORK 
PUBLISHERS 



Menqgraptf 



National Industrial Conference Board 

10 EAST 39TH STREET, NEW YORK CITY 

BRANCH OFFICE 
SOUTHERN BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D. C. 

THE National Industrial Conference Board is a co-operative 
body composed of representatives of national and state in- 
dustrial associations and is organized to provide a clearing house 
of information, a forum for constructive discussion, and ma- 
chinery for co-operative action on matters that vitally affect 
the industrial development of the nation. 

Frederick P. Fish Chairman 

Loyall A. Osborne Vice-Chairman 

James H. Perkins Treasurer 

Magnus W. Alexander Managing Director 

AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS 

American Cotton Manufacturers' Association 

American Electric Railway Association 

American Hardware Manufacturers' Association 

American Malleable Castings Association 

American Paper and Pulp Association 

Electrical Manufacturers' Council 

Institute of Makers of Explosives 

Manufacturing Chemists' Association of the U. S, 

National Association of Cotton Manufacturers 

National Association of Farm Equipment Manufacturers 

National Association of Finishers of Cotton Fabrics 

National Association of Manufacturers 

National Association of Sheet and Tin Plate Manuf'rs 

National Association of Wool Manufacturers 

National Automobile Chamber of Commerce, Inc. 

National Boot and Shoe Manufacturers' Association 

National Electric Light Association 

National Erectors' Association 

National Founders' Association 

National Industrial Council 

National Lumber Manufacturers' Association 

National Metal Trades Association 

Rubber Association of America, Inc. 

The American Pig Iron Association 

The Railway Car Manufacturers' Association 

The Silk Association of America 

Tobacco Merchants' Association of the United States 

Associated Industries of Massachusetts 
Associated Industries of New York State, Inc. 
Illinois Manufacturers' Association 
Manufacturers' Association of Connecticut, Inc. 




WAGES AND HOURS IN AMERICAN 
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES 

July, 1914 — January, 1922 



Research Report Number 52 
July, 1922 



National Industrial Conference Board 

/| 



THE CENTURY CO. 
NEW YORK 
PUBLISHERS 






^ v% * 






Copyright, 1922 
National Industrial Conference Board 



SEF . 

- -..« , -. ;-.-■ 
<§,:i.A681598 



N\0 ) 



Foreword 

The present report, the fifth wage study by the Conference 
Board, carries forward to the beginning of this year the com- 
prehensive survey of wages, hours and employment in Amer- 
ican manufacturing industries, published as Research Report 
No. 45. Like the preceding report, the present one sets forth 
reliable data portraying the movement of hourly and weekly 
earnings, hours of operation and worker hours as well as 
changes in employment, from the pre-war period to date, 
covering in special detail the period since June, 1920, when the 
industrial depression set in. The report therefore depicts the 
process of wage readjustment in American manufacturing in- 
dustries during a year and a half of declining business activity. 
In this readjustment the relation between wages and the cost 
of living has been of increasing interest, and in the present 
report the trend of real wages, which is the purchasing power 
of money wages, from 1914 onward is shown by a comparison 
between changes in money wages for all industries and changes 
in the cost of living for the country as a whole during the 
period studied. 

The broad statistical basis on which the preceding wage re- 
port by the Board was established has been continued in the 
present one and provides a stable foundation for comprehensive 
and scientific knowledge of wage conditions in American 
industry. 



CONTENTS page 

Introduction 1 

Summary and General Conclusions 7 

CHAPTER 

I. Foundry and Machine Shop Products 35 

■ TL Automobile Manufacturing 43 

III. Agricultural Implement Manufacturing 51 

IV. Electrical Apparatus Manufacturing . . 59 

V. Iron and Steel Manufacturing 67 

VI. Cotton Manufacturing 75 

A. North 75 

B. South 83 

VII. Wool Manufacturing 91 

VIII. Silk Manufacturing 99 

IX. Hosiery and Knit Goods Manufacturing 107 

X. Rubber Manufacturing 115 

XI. Leather Tanning and Finishing 123 

XII. Boot and Shoe Manufacturing 131 

XIII. Meat Packing 139 

XIV. Chemical Manufacturing 147 

A. Chemicals 147 

B. Fertilizer Manufacturing 154 

XV. Paint and Varnish Manufacturing 161 

XVI. Paper Manufacturing 169 

A. Paper and Wood Pulp Manufacturing 169 

B. Paper Products Manufacturing 176 

XVII. Printing and Publishing. . . 183 

A. Book and Job 183 

XVIII. Printing and Publishing 190 

B. Newspapers and Periodicals 190 

XIX. Lumber Manufacturing and Millwork 197 

XX. Furniture Manufacturing. . . 205 

XXI. Brick and Tile Manufacturing 213 

XXII. Generation and Distribution of Electricity. 221 
XXIII. Manufacture and Distribution of Gas. . .,. . .229 

V 



LIST OF SUMMARY TABLES AND CHARTS 

Tables 

PAGE 

Table A: Average Hourly Earnings, All Industries, 
Composite and Classified Groups of Labor 9 

Table B: Average Weekly Earnings, Composite and 

Classified Groups of Labor 13 

Table C: Composite and Classified Employment in 24 
Industries 16 

Table D: Average Actual Week per Wage Earner, 
Average Plant Hours, and Average Hours of the 
Nominal Week, All Industries, Classified and Com- 
posite Groups of Labor 19 

Table E: Actual Hourly Earnings by Groups and In- 
dustries in July, 1914, at the Peak, and in December, 
1921, with the Percentages of Decline from the Peak. 24 

Table F: Actual Weekly Earnings by Groups and In- 
dustries in July, 1914, at the Peak, and in December, 
1921, with the Percentages of Decline from the Peak. 25 

Table G: Index Numbers of Cost of Living and Real 
Hourly and Weekly Earnings, All Wage Earners, All 
Male Wage Earners, and Classified Groups, All In- 
dustries 30 

Charts 

Chart A: Index Numbers, Hourly and Weekly Earnings, 
All Industries, All Wage Earners and Classified Groups, 
July, 1914— January, 1922 10 

Chart B: Average Actual Hourly and Weekly Earnings, 
All Industries, by Groups and for All Wage Earners, 
July, 1914— January, 1922 11 

Chart C: Number of Wage Earners Employed and 
Average Hours of Work, All Industries, by Groups and 
for All Wage Earners, July, 1914 — January, 1922. ... 14 

vi 



, PAGE 

Chart D: Index Numbers of Changes in Employment by 
Industries, from July, 1914 as Base 100 to January, 
1922 17 

Chart E: Average Nominal Hours per Week, by Indus- 
tries, July, 1914 and December, 1921 21 

Chart F: Average Hourly and Weekly Earnings, by In- 
dustries, July, 1914, at the Peak, and in December, 
1921 23 

Chart G: Cost of Living, Hourly and Weekly "Money" 
and "Real" Wages, All Wage Earners, All Industries,' 
Juh', 1914— January, 1922. .!..-...,-..-......'........... 27 

Chart Hi Index Numbers, "Real" Hourly and Weekly ' 
Earnings, All Industries, by Groups and for All Wage 
Earners, July, 1914— January, 1922 29 



Wages and Hours in American 
Manufacturing Industries 

July, 1914— January, 1922 



INTRODUCTION 



Scope of Investigation 

The purpose of this investigation was to show the trend of 
wages, hours of work, and employment in the principal manu- 
facturing industries in the United States from July, 1914 up 
to January, 1922. As a wage investigation is incomplete with- 
out an inquiry also into hours and employment, the data con- 
tained in this report, therefore, deal not only with wages, but 
with the average hours of the nominal or standard week, the 
average week of plant operation, the average week per wage 
earner, and with fluctuations in employment. 

The National Industrial Conference Board has already pub- 
lished four reports dealing with wages, of which the first 1 
covered eight industries; the second, 2 twelve; the third, 3 fifteen, 
and the fourth, 4 twenty-six. 

The present report, also covering twenty-six major industries, 
closely follows that of Research Report No. 45, in scope, method 
and material. Wage schedules were sent to the same plants 
that furnished information in the previous investigation, and 
over 86% of these establishments furnished data for the present 
report. In order to make these data strictly comparable with 
the material presented in Research Report No. 45, a retabula- 
tion was made of the previous material, excluding the wage 
data from the establishments which did not furnish information 

Research Report No. 20. "Wartime Changes in Wages: September, 1914-March, 1919." 

2 Research Report No. 31. "Changes in Wages During and Since the War: September, 
1914-March, 1920." 

'Research Report No. 35. "Wage Changes in Industry: September, 1914-December, 
1920." 

4 Research Report No. 45. "Wages and Hours in American Industry: Julv, 1914-July, 
1921." 

1 



for the present investigation. In this manner a continuous 
study has been made from the 1914 base, giving data for the 
same firms from July, 1914 up to January, 1922. 

Some schedules were received in the present investigation 
from establishments which had not previously furnished in- 
formation. The data on certain of these schedules were then 
substituted for comparable data on schedules from the pre- 
ceding investigation which stopped with June, 1921, and were 
not continued in the present study. These substitutions were 
made only where the locality, the size of the establishment, 
and the average wage rates were practically the same as in 
the establishment for which the substitution was made. A 
total of 93 substitutions was made. This small group of substi- 
tutions, however, has had little or no effect upon the general 
trend or averages compiled, though in specific labor groups 
certain irregularities may be traced to this method. In every 
case, both in the retabulation and in the substitution method, 
an earnest effort has been made to make a thoroughly com- 
parable and scientific study showing continuous trends through 
the seven and one-half year period from July, 1914 up to 
January, 1922. 

The present investigation covered 3,801 plants, of which 
3,708 furnished information for the preceding wage report. 
The largest number of wage earners employed in any one month, 
during the period covered by the investigation, was 1,090,972 
wage earners, at the general peak of industrial activity in June, 
1920. Thus over 25% of the total number of wage earners 
reported by the 1919 Census of Manufactures for the twenty- 
six industries studied are covered by this report. Schedules 
were received from many other establishments, but on account 
of their incompleteness, were not included. In every case, 
the selection of industries has been determined by the availa- 
bility oi data, and, in general, follows the latest United States 
Census of Manufactures. The representativeness of the present 
report is evidenced by the geographical distribution and the 
variety and size of establishments covered. 

Period Covered by Report 

The data cover the period from July, 1914 up to January, 
1922 and present an authentic record of wage changes during 
this time, gathered from comparable sources, as described 

2 



above. July, 1914 was selected as the base of the study, 
because this date is the last period unaffected by the outbreak 
of the World War, and, in general, reflects American manufac- 
turing industries under fairly normal conditions. After July, 
1914, the next period covered by this report is June, 1920. 
No attempt has been made to study the character of the rise 
from the base in 1914 to the general peak in the middle of 
1920. During this time, industry was stimulated to super- 
normal production by the World War. It was felt that to 
study movements in wages and hours in this period would only 
bring out facts already well known. The principal interest 
today is in the trends from the pre-war base to the present, and 
hence this report shows the movement of wages, hours of work, 
and employment, month by month, from June, 1920 up to 
January, 1922, related to the common base of July, 1914. 

About 75% of the plants included in this report gave com- 
plete data from July, 1914 up to January, 1922. The remainder 
could not furnish 1914 data, but compiled returns for the 
period 1920-22. This group contained many firms in existence 
in 1914, but whose payroll records from 1914 to 1922 were un- 
obtainable, and included also firms that had started in business 
since 1914. 

A statistical problem, therefore, was involved in relating the 
data from the predominant 1914-22 group to the smaller 
1920-22 group of firms. In regard to weekly and hourly 
earnings, the average week per wage earner, the average week 
of plant operation and the nominal week, careful tabulation 
showed little divergence between the data for these two groups, 
covering the period from June, 1920 up to January, 1922. It 
seemed justifiable, therefore, to tie these two groups together 
for 1920-22. The 1914 base supplied by the larger group was 
then taken as both the actual and index base for the entire 
group. Separate treatment, however, was given the two 
groups in regard to data covering employment. 

As three-quarters of the whole data cover the entire period, 
a predominant base is carried through the entire investigation, 
which is sufficient to outweigh any errors that might accrue 
by tying in a smaller group at June, 1920. In other words, the 
statistical method pursued does not involve changing the base, 
or a greater part of the base, between different periods. 

3 



Classification of Wage Earners 

The investigation did not include executives, office and sales 
force, foremen or assistants, clerical workers or others paid on a 
salary basis. 

The classification of wage data closely follows that pursued 
by the Conference Board in previous wage studies. The wage 
earners were first divided by sex, and then into the occupa- 
tional classifications of male "common or unskilled" labor, and 
male "all other" labor. "Common or unskilled" labor is de- 
fined as the general group that performs the cruder "muscle" 
tasks for which no previous training is required. "All other" 
labor is composed of the remainder of "semi-skilled and skilled" 
labor of all kinds, which has some degree of training. All kinds 
of workers are contained in the latter classification, from those 
who rank just above "common" laborers to the most highly 
skilled wage earners. The dividing line between these two 
groups is difficult to determine, but this classification follows 
the general understanding as to the distinction implied in these 
terms. In the charts and tables contained in this report, the 
word "skilled" refers to the male workers in the "all other" 
group. 

Treatment of Wage Data 

The report deals with "money wages," which are to be dis- 
tinguished from "real wages," or the purchasing power of 
money wages. The word "earnings," unless otherwise stated, 
means the total money wages derived from labor services. 

Hourly and weekly wages for each of the three classes, in 
each industry, are included in this report. Hourly earnings 
are obtained by dividing the total weekly payroll in money, for 
each group of wage earners, by the total actual man hours 
worked by each group; weekly earnings are obtained by 
dividing the total weekly payroll for each group of wage 
earners by the number of persons in each group. The tables 
and charts in this report show wage data in index numbers 
as well as in actual dollars and cents. 

Treatment of Employment Data 

As previously mentioned, while the 1914—22 and the 1920-22 
groups of establishments were consolidated from 1920 onward 

4 



in regard to earnings and hours, such a procedure in regard to 
employment data would have been statistically incorrect. 
Here the problem deals with actual numbers rather than 
trends, and to use the base of the smaller group as the base for 
the whole group would lead to wrong conclusions. Hence, 
employment data for the total and the three classified groups 
individually are shown for the 1920-21 period only. In addition, 
a composite line, showing the total employment for the firms 
which furnished complete information from 1914-22, was also 
placed on the employment charts. 



Treatment of Data on Hours of Work 

As in the last report, three kinds of data regarding hours of 
work have been compiled: (1) the average week per wage earner, 
(2) the average week of plant operation, (3) the nominal or 
standard work week. 

The average week per wage earner is the average man 
hours worked per week, and was obtained by dividing the total 
man hours of each group by the total number of workers em- 
ployed in that group. In consolidating this information from 
individual plants into data for an industry, the number of 
wage earners in each plant was taken into account, thereby 
securing a weighted average for each industry. 

The average week of plant operation is the average hours 
of operation of all the plants covered in a specific industry, 
and was obtained by multiplying the total number of wage 
earners in each plant by hours of operation in that plant, and 
then dividing the sum of these products by the total number of 
wage earners for all the establishments covered in the indus- 
try. Properly weighted hours of plant operation for the 
industry were thus obtained. 

The nominal or standard work week in a plant is the num- 
ber of hours the plant is supposed normally to operate, and 
was obtained by multiplying the total number of wage earners 
in each plant by the hours of the regular or nominal work 
week in that plant, and then dividing the sum of these results 
by the total number of wage earners for all the establishments 
covered in the industry. Properly weighted hours of the nom- 
inal week for the industry were thus obtained. 

5 



Since the actual week per wage earner, week of plant opera- 
tion and the nominal week have each been weighted in relation 
to the number of wage earners, direct comparison can be made 
between these three averages. The comparison between the 
average hours per individual wage earner and the actual week 
of plant operation shows the divergence between the hours 
all the wage earners have actually worked and the hours the 
plant has actually operated. It measures the inefficiency of 
plant operation due to any or all causes. In addition, the com- 
parison between the actual week of plant operation and the 
nominal week reflects broadly the economic condition of the 
industry. 

In determining the actual week of plant operation, full ac- 
count was taken of the time lost due to local and legal holidays, 
and to local and temporary plant disabilities. Losses due to 
these causes are not to be attributed to economic and indus- 
trial conditions, but to temporary and local circumstances. 

To compute average weekly hours of work and earnings on the 
basis of a week that has been reduced through a cause not re- 
lated to conditions governing working time in the industry, 
would result in lowering the average so that it would not be 
representative of other weeks in the month. On this account 
the wage schedules covered representative weeks which were, 
as far as possible, unaffected by legal and local holidays. Where 
such holidays occurred, the time lost was added to the hours of 
actual plant operation and to the average actual week per wage 
earner, and the normal week of hours and earnings was thus 
established. 

Throughout the text of this study, the method has 
been uniformly employed of giving first the data for the base 
period, July, 1914, then the high point, which varies as to 
date, and finally the change to the end of the year 1921. 



SUMMARY AND GENERAL CONCLUSIONS 

The period covered in this investigation, from July, 1914, 
up to the beginning of 1922, was marked by great changes in 
the principal manufacturing industries of the United States. 
In July, 1914, manufacturing industries of the country were 
operating on a fairly normal scale under peace-time conditions. 
The next years witnessed a general industrial expansion in 
response to the demands of the World War. The peak of this 
expansion was reached by the spring of 1920 and the period 
since that time has been characterized by a widespread indus- 
trial depression. 

At the beginning of 1922 the process of deflation in many 
industries had been practically completed, and more permanent 
levels of production had been reached. The year 1921 was a 
time of general readjustment, and the tendency to more or 
less stable levels of wages and hours in the principal manufac- 
turing industries evidenced in that period is reflected in this 
report. 

The general results of this investigation are discussed under 
four headings: 

A. Composite data for all industries; 

B. Comparison of data between industries; 

C. Comparison of hourly and weekly earnings with the 
cost of living; 

D. General conclusions. 

A. Composite Data For All Industries 

In compiling the composite material for the twenty-six in- 
dustrial sections in this report, data from gas, and electric light 
and power companies were not included, as conditions in these 
public utilities are not quite comparable with those in manu- 
facturing industries. In public utilities, wages and hours are 
usually determined by local or state legislation, and the ne- 
cessity for continuous operation makes a study of working 
hours of little importance. 

Of the 44 iron and steel plants from which returns were 
received, data from eight plants have not been included in 
the composite returns, because the payroll returns of these 

7 



plants did not give a record of hours. Thus, only 3,520 plants 
have been included in the composite data in this section, although 
the entire investigation covered 3,801 plants. The total num- 
ber oi wage earners covered in this composite section was 
1,068,519 in June, 1920. In discussing the general results re- 
lating specifically to employment, wages and hours, the number 
of wage earners covered is designated in each case. 

Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: The compilation of data on hourly 
earnings includes returns from all industries except gas and 
electric light plants and eight iron and steel plants already 
mentioned. The composite hourly earnings for all industries, 
therefore, include data from 3,520 plants. 

In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of all wage earners 
were $.243. By September, 1920, they had risen 156% to $.621. 
The decline from the latter period to the beginning of 1922 amounted 
to 22.4%, leaving the average hourly earnings at the level of $.482 
or 98% above the July, 1914 level. The actual decrease in aver- 
age hourly earnings for all wage earners from the peak in Sep- 
tember, 1920 up to January, 1922 amounted to $.139. 

The trend of average hourly earnings shows a well-sustained 
level through November, 1920. In December, 1920, a slight 
decline occurred, followed by severe reductions at the begin- 
ning of 1921. The last six months of 1921 saw continued, but 
more gradual, declines. 

In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of all male wage 
earners were $.26. By September, 1920, they had increased 
152% to $.656, and declined 21.8% to $.513 from the latter 
period up to the beginning of 1922. The net increase over 
July, 1914, at the beginning of 1922, was 97%. 

In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of all male common 
labor were $.207. By September, 1920, they had increased 
164% to $.546. The decline from the latter period up to the 
beginning of 1922 amounted to 27.1%, at which time the 
average hourly earnings were $.398. In July, 1914, the aver- 
age hourly earnings of all male skilled labor were $.280. By 
September, 1920, they had increased 150% to $.700. The 
decline from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922, 
was 20.7% to $.555. In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings 



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Chart A: Index Numbers, Hourly and Weekly Earnings. All 
Industries, All Wage Earners and Classified Groups, July, 
1914— January, 1922 



AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 




JULY 

1914 



JUN. JUL AUG 5EP OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUH JUL. AUB. SEP. OCT. NOV DEC 



I9SD 1321 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 




JUN JUL AUG. SEP OCT. NOV DEC. J AN FEB. MAR. APR MAY JUN. JUL AUG. SEP. OCT NO V. DEC. 

1920 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 
10 



Chart B: Actual Average Hourly and Weekly Earnings, All 
Industries, by Groups and for All Wage Earners, July, 1914 
— January, 1922 



AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 




pen week 






AVERAGE 


WEEKLY 


' EARNINGS 














45 
40 
35 
3D 
25 




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r p r 


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1 


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1 


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(National Industrial Conference Board) 
11 



of women were $.156. By June, 1920, they had risen 167% 
to $.417. The decline from this peak up to January, 1922 
amounted to 16.8%, the average earnings at the latter period 
being S.347. By January, 1922, therefore, the average hourly 
earnings of the three groups were respectively 92%, 98% and 
122% above the July, 1914 levels. It will be noted that the 
net increase for women is far above the net increase received by 
men. 

The actual decline in money in average hourly earnings 
from the various peaks in the three groups up to January, 
1922, were as follows: male common labor, $.148; male skilled 
labor, S.145; women, S.07. 

(b) Weekly earnings: Composite weekly earnings of all 
wage earners include returus faom all industries except the gas 
and electric light plants and certain iron and steel companies 
already mentioned, and cover the same number of plants as 
does the composite of hourly earnings. 

In July, 1914, the composite weekly earnings of all wage earners 
were 512.36. By July, 1920, they had risen 140% to 529.69. 
The decline from this period up to January, 1922 was 25%, the 
average weekly earnings at the latter period being $22.21 or 80% 
above the July, 1914 level. Weekly earnings were well sustained 
through October, 1920. A decline began in November and 
December, 1920, followed by sharp reductions in the first 
months of 1921. This reduction was chiefly due to a great 
decline in working hours. During the last six months of 1921 
weekly earnings were well sustained, although hourly earnings 
steadily declined. This was due to an increase in working 
hours. The result is that the average weekly pay of all wage 
earners has been fairly well sustained, although there has been 
a continual reduction in hourly rates. The actual money de- 
crease in weekly earnings from the peak in July, 1920 up 
to January, 1922 amounted to 57.42. 

The average weekly earnings of all male wage earners in July, 
1914 were 513.30. By July, 1920 they had risen 139% to 
531.75. They then declined 24.9% to 523.84 from the latter 
period to January, 1922, leaving a net increase of 79% over the 
July, 1914 level. The declines from the peak and the net in- 
creases over July, 1914 have been practically the same for the 



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Chart C: Number of Wage Earners Employed and Average 
Hours of Work, All Industries, by Groups and for All Wage 
Earners, July, 1914 — January, 1922 




JULY 

1914 



JUN. JUL. AUG. 3E P OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR.MAYJUN. JUL AUU SEB OCT. NOV. DEC 

f32D I9SI 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 
14 



composite group of all wage earners, which includes women, 
and for all male wage earners. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male unskilled 
labor were #10.89. By August, 1920 they had risen 149% to 
$27.14. The decline from this period to January, 1922 amounted 
to 30.2%, the average weekly earnings at the latter period being 
$18.95. In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male 
skilled labor were $14.19. By July and August, 1920, they had 
increased 136% to $33.54, declining 23.8% to $25.56 from the 
latter period to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, the 
average weekly earnings of women were $7.82. In June, 1920, 
they had increased 140% to $18.79. The decline from this 
peak up to January, 1922 was 16.1%, the average weekly 
earnings at the latter period being $15.76. By January, 1922, 
therefore, the percentages of increase above July, 1914 levels 
for the three groups were respectively 74%, 80% and 102%. 
It will be noted that the net percentage increase for male 
common labor was considerably below that for male skilled 
labor, while the increase for women was considerably above that 
received by male wage earners. 

The actual money decreases in weekly earnings in the three 
groups, from their various peaks up to January, 1922 were as 
follows: male common labor ; $8.19; male skilled labor ; $7.98; 
women, $3.03. 

The decline in weekly earnings has been more extensive than 
in hourly earnings, due to part-time operations, plant shut- 
downs, and part-time employment. Wage trends indicate 
well sustained levels in most basic industries during 1920 with 
sharp reductions at the beginning of 1921. The last half of 
1921 was dominated by continued declines in hourly earnings, 
with more or less sustained levels in weekly earnings. Wage 
reductions have affected women less than men, which may be 
accounted for by the progress which women made during the 
war through legislation and other means in bringing their 
wages into closer equality with men. 

In general, this wage investigation shows that up to January 
1922, the decline from the peak in hourly and weekly earnings 
has been from 20% to 25%, with net increases for all wage earners 
at the beginning of '1922 rangingfrom 80% to 100% above 1914 levels. 

15 





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Chart D: Index Numbers of Changes in Employment by Indus- 
tries, from July, 1914 as Base 100 to January, 1922 




PAPER and WOOD 
PULP 



PAPER PRODUCTS PRINTING "NEWSPAPER PRINTING - 

BDDK and JDB 




i J 9 J 2b s " i °i , 9 r ai AMJJ 



razb rasi "" J -" 



isaf Wal* "^ J A s 



(National Industrial Conference Board) 

17 



Employment 

Composite data on employment include complete returns 
from all industries except gas and electric companies, and the 
eight iron and steel companies already mentioned. The total 
decline in employment in all industries from June, 1920, gener- 
ally the peak of industrial activity , up to January, 1922, amounted 
to 35.8%. Employment was fairly well sustained through 
October, 1920. A slight decline occurred in November, 1920. 
The next months witnessed extensive layoffs, which continued 
through July, 1921. From August, 1921 to the end of the year 
there was an increase of 3% in employment. 

The effect of the industrial depression in the metal trades, 
brick and tile, chemical and rubber manufacturing over- 
balanced the increase in textile industries during 1921. The 
general tendency, however, at the close of 1921 was toward a 
continuous increase of working forces. 

During the period from June, 1920 up to January, 1922, 
the percentages of decline in employment for the three groups 
were as follows: ?nale co?nmon labor, 41.5%; male skilled labor, 
37.4%; women, 20.8%. It will be noted that the end of the 
industrial depression has shown a smaller amount of unemploy- 
ment for women than for men, male common labor being the 
most severely affected by industrial conditions. The last half 
of 1921 was characterized by a considerable increase in employ- 
ment of women, which may be accounted for partly by the. 
return of many piece-workers in textile industries. 

Employment declined 4% in 2,601 identical establishments 
which furnished information from July, 1914 to the end of the 
year 1921. In other words, in December, 1921, the industrial 
depression had forced employment in the identical establishments 
below the level of July, 1914. 

Hours 

The average hours of the nominal week have been compiled 
for all industries except gas and electric light plants and the 
entire iron and steel group. The former have been omitted 
from the composite returns as in other sections of the summary 
chapter for reasons mentioned above, 1 while the variable hours 
in the iron and steel industry make the compilation of the 
nominal week impossible. 

£? 'See p. 7. 

18 



Table D: Average Actual Week per Wage Earner, Average 
Plant Hours, and Average Hours of the Nominal Week, All 
Industries, Classified and Composite Groups of Labor 



PERIOD 



1914 
July 

1920 

June 

July..... 

Aug 

Sept 

Oct 

Nov 

Dec 

1921 

Jan 

Feb 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July* 

Aug 

Sept 

Oct 

Nov 

Dec 



Actual Week per Wage Erner 


Plant 




Classified 












All 

Male 


Com- 
posite 


Hours 


Male • 
Un- 
skilled 


Male 
Skilled 


Women 


52.7 


50.6 


50.1 


51.2 


51.0 


53. S 


50.3 


48.7 


45.2 


49.1 


48.5 


49.8 


50.3 


48.7 


44.9 


49.2 


48.5 


49.7 


50.1 


48.6 


44.1 


49.1 


48.3 


49.7 


49.7 


47.9 


44.4 


48.4 


47.8 


49.3 


49.6 


48.1 


43.6 


48.5 


47.8 


48.7 


48.5 


46.9 


41.7 


47.3 


46.5 


47.5 


47.1 


45.9 


41.0 


46.4 


45.4 


46.2 


45.2 


44.1 


41.4 


44.4 


43.9 


45.2 


44.6 


43.9 


42.5 


44.1 


43.8 


44.9 


45.1 


43.6 


42.8 


44.0 


43.8 


45.2 


44.5 


43.4 


42.8 


43.7 


43.6 


44.8 


44.7 


43.8 


44.0 


44.0 


44.0 


45.6 


44.9 


43.8 


44.1 


44.1 


44.1 


45.5 


44.6 


43.6 


43.7 


43.8 


43.8 


46.7 


45.3 


43.9 


44.2 


44.3 


44.3 


44.7 


46.0 


44.1 


44.3 


44.6 


44.6 


45.5 


47.2 


45.4 


44.7 


45.8 


45.6 


47.0 


46.9 


45.0 


44.3 


45.5 


45.3 


46.9 


47.6 


46.0 


45.5 


46.4 


46.2 


47.2 



Nomi- 
nal 
Week 



55.1 



50.7 
50.7 
50.6 
50.5 
50.5 
50.6 
50.5 



50.5 
50.8 
50.7 
51.0 

50.6 

50.7 

49.9 
50.0 
50.0 
50.2 
49.8 
49.8 



k See Introduction, p. 2. 



In July, 1914, 55.1 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. Following the general reduction of working hours during 
the war period, the average hours of the nominal week declined 
to 50.7 in June, 1920. This level remained practically unchanged 
up to July, 1921. At this time, a great decline in the hours of 
the nominal week occurred in the foundry group, which brought 
down the average for the entire investigation, so that in July, 
1921, the average hours were 49.9. In August and September 
they rose to 50, while in October they again increased to 50.2, 
but declined during November and December to 49.8. 

19 



Comparison of the trend of the nominal week with that 
of plant hours shows very clearly the general economic condi- 
tions existing in American manufacturing industries during 
the period covered by the investigation. 

The actual week of plant operation has been compiled for 
all industries except chemical, and iron and steel manufacturing, 
and paper and wood pulp mills. These three industries, whose 
normal method of production is on a two or three shift basis, 
are not comparable with industries operating on single shifts. 

The composite average hours of plant operation show a reduction 
from 53.8 in July, 1914, to 49.8 hours in June, 1920. Plant 
activity continued at a well sustained level through October, 1920. 
The following months were characterized by severe declines and 
depressed conditions which continued through September, 1921. 
During the remaining months of 1921 there was a considerable 
revival so that at the close of the year plant hours stood at 47.2. 
At the latter period they were still 2.6 hours below the peak of 
plant activity in 1920, or a decline of over 5%. 

An analysis of the trend of plant hours clearly reflects the 
condition in American manufacturing industries from July, 
1914 to the middle of 1921. From 1914 to 1920 there was a 
considerable reduction in the length of working hours and a 
consequent decline in plant activity, while the industrial 
depression during 1920-21 brought the level of plant hours 
unusually low. The closing months of 1921, however, show 
a considerable increase in productive activity. 

The compilation of the hours of the average actual week per 
wage earner have been made from all industries except public 
utilities and eight iron and steel plants, which did not 
contribute hourly data. The average week per wage earner 
showed a decline from 51 hours in July, 1914 to 48.5 in June, 
1920. The latter level was well sustained through November, 
1920, when the industrial depression and a decline in plant 
activity began to take effect. The next months showed even more 
severe reductions, so that by April, 1921 the average working 
hours were reduced to 43.6. The last five ?nonths of 1921 showed 
considerable revival, so that in December, 1921 the average wage 
earner was working 46.2 hours per week. This, however, is 2.3 
hours below the level reached at the peak in 1920. The resump- 

20 



tion of working hours during the last months of 1921 helped 
maintain weekly earnings at more or less permanent levels. 

In the classified groups, the average hours of common labor 
in July, 1914 were 52.7. By June, 1920 they had decreased 
to 50.3, and in December, 1921 stood at 47.6. In July, 1914, 
the average male skilled laborer was working 50.6 hours. In 
June, 1920 the hours had fallen to 48.7 and in December, 
1921 to 46 hours. In July, 1914 the average woman wage 
earner was working 50.1 hours. In June, 1920 the hours had 
fallen to 45.2, but a strong revival during the last six months 
of 1921 brought the hours back to 45.5 in December, 1921. 
This increase in the working hours of women helped maintain 
both the actual and real wages of women at increased levels, 
and, in general, women have been less affected by the in- 
dustrial depression than men. 

Chart E: Average Nominal Hours per Week, by Industries, 
July, 1914 and December, 1921 



average: nominal hours per week 

fertilizer BS-H_-_-_-_-H_H_S_BD_- 



COTTON - SOUTH ■ 

BRICK and TILE B 



LUMBER and MILLWDRK _ . _ ■WHBKH^B^HBHnHBHBi 

chemicals _HSB_-H----^------B___B__B_8_HB__9_l 

paper and wddd pulp ___ _^^HB__-S-3H__3i3_i 

furniture ^^■BBHHBH^HBBEHHBHB 

foundries and mach. shops _-_-_^-^_-_B_S_-_-_B__l_-_-_i 8imiilMmiH 

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS_____H___8_B--i----_-----32-----S_-_^_i 

leather ■HHBBBHHflHHHS^^H^KBB 

automobiles BBHHBBHHEHHBHHHSHS9B 

hosiery and knit gdods— ^B1H^HB^9BHHBSBHBK9BB 
paint and varnish __ ^iUMtK^^^^Bit^^l/iSBIWUMWK^mim 
paper products tSEH HMffWIBHlwMMimW^m 

cotton - north ..... . . ... SBBBHBBB^HffiB^^^HHBBI 

boots and shoes B^^HBHHHKBSHBHSHBHHBB 

SILK _________^_________________H_BR_-__B 

wooi ^K_^_5_H_I________H____B_^____H______[ 

PRINTING - NEWSPAPER ■___& ___^_^__^5_§9________H 

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS... ________HH_i_____@______H___i_____________E_SZIZ_] 5 4 3 

MEAT PACKING H flKWrll l 5 ^ 



RUBBER ___BBi______S____ra_i________W___K______B_____@ l 5EB 

.'HINTING -BOOK and JOB. . ___^__H-_B_-_-_------S__9_____-_____B-_0-r_l ^ 9 7 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 



21 



B. Comparison of Data Between Industries 

Wages 

The data are presented in bar diagrams F, and in tables 
E and F, showing the actual hourly and weekly wages in 
July, 1914, at the peak, and in December, 1921. In addition, 
the tables show the percentage of decline from the peak. This 
section shows comparison of wages between industries and is 
a recapitulation of material contained in the text for the dif- 
ferent industries. 



PERCENTAGE INCREASES IN HOURLY AND WEEKLY EARNINGS 

IN DECEMBER, 1921, OVER JULY, 1914 

Hourly Weekly 

Foundry and Machine Shop Products 85 69 

Automobile Manufacturing 97 63 

Agricultural Implement Manufacturing 81 56 

Electrical Apparatus Manufacturing 89 66 

Iron and Steel Manufacturing 75 65 

Cotton Manufacturing (North) 138 109 

Cotton Manufacturing (South) 126 113 

Wool Manufacturing 146 116 

Silk Manufacturing 122 98 

Hosiery and Knit Goods Manufacturing 118 105 

Rubber Manufacturing 107 93 

Leather Tanning and Finishing 108 95 

Boot and Shoe Manufacturing 120 93 

Meat Packing 106 79 

Chemical Manufacturing 101 84 

Fertilizer Manufacturing 46 38 

Paint and Varnish Manufacturing 89 72 

Paper and Wood Pulp Manufacturing 106 99 

Paper Products Manufacturing 139 1 10 

Printing and Publishing (Book and Job) 102 110 

Printing and Publishing (Newspapers) 66 77 

Lumber and Millwork Manufacturing 101 83 

Furniture Manufacturing 106 103 

Brick and Tile Manufacturing 85 79 

Generation and Distribution of Electricity 96 88 

Manufacture and Distribution of Gas 92 95 



Percentages of Decline in Hourly and Weekly Earnings from 
the Peak up to January^ 1922 

Tables E and F show the actual hourly and weekly earnings 
in July, 1914, at the peak and December, 1921, together with 
the percentage of decline from the peak. In analyzing these 
declines, it will be noted that the greatest decline in hourly 
earnings has occurred among the following industries: 

22 



Chart F: Average Hourly and Weekly Earnings, by Industries, 
July, 1914, at the Peak, and in December, 1921 



AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 

CENTS PER HOUR 
10 ZO 3D 40 




PRINTING - NEWSPAPER. 
PRINTING - BOOK and JOB 

AUTOMOBILES 

RUBBER 

PAINT and VARNISH 
ELECTRICAL APPARATUS- 
FOUNDRIES and MACH. 5H0PS 
LUMBER and MILLWDRK 
BOOTS and SHOES 
AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS 

FURNITURE . 

PAPER and WOOD PULP. 

PAPER PRODUCTS 

IRON and STEEL 

WOOL 

CHEMICALS 

MEAT PACKING 

LEATHER 

BRICK and TILE- 
SILK 

COTTON - NORTH 
HOSIERY and KNIT G00D5___ 

FERTILIZER 

COTTON - SOUTH 
ALL INDUSTRIES 



AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 

D0LLAR5 PER WEEK 
5 10 15 HO 25 30 



PRINTING - NEWSPAPER 

PRINTING " BOOK and JOB 

AUTOMOBILES 

RUBBER •_ 

PAPER and WOOD PULP. 

PAINT and VARNISH 

CHEMICALS 

LUMBER and MILLWORK 

IRON and STEEI 

FOUNDRIES and MACH. SHOPS 

FURNITURE 

BOOTS and SHOES 

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS__ 

BRICK and TILE 

LEATHER 

MEAT PACKING 

WOOI 

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS 

PAPER PRODUCTS 

SILK 

COTTON - NORTH 

HOSIERY and KNIT GOODS 

FERTILIZER 

COTTON - SOUTH 

ALL INDUSTRIES 




(National Industrial Conference Board) 

23 





























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27.6 
25.2 
35.5 
22.5 


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On CO t*» On tH no On On ID 

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17.41 
15.68 
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14.58 
17.47 
13.52 


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1 

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15.27 
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18.87 


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17.33 
17.41 
19.65 

18.06 
19.32 
20.89 


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18.58 
16.77 
16.57 
19.99 


CN 
•CN 

•NO 




O 00 co 00 

HrtMH 


CN t~» ■. 

CN th C 


£2 

"So 


$7.14 

12.03 

8.14 

8.18 


On NO 00 On O On ion 00 
iDTtiTHNOTtft^. 'tfONNO 

t^-NOoot^r^oo nooono 


On •* 
On ;f> 

NO -00 




6.28 
7.15 
6.73 
8.99 


On 
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1 



u 
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5 
w 


Per cent 

Decline 

from 

Peak 


i 

t 

< 


D00-* CO 


25.6 
30.0 
17.2 
11.8 
14.9 
17.5 

20.0 

8.2 

20.3 


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t*nOO 

CNCOtH 




NO th 00 On 
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14.0 
14.9 
15.8 


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25.27 
23.94 
24.69 
28.54 

24.16 
25.72 
26.19 


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CN t^ © 

t>tsO 

CN CN CO 




27.98 
28.37 
37.05 
36.91 


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25.15 
28.21 

30.67 
29.76 


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03 


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36.75 
36.04 
33.95 
53.24 

30.03 
25.47 
30.51 
27.14 
29.01 
34.57 

30.20 
28.01 
33.04 


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COCO 

NO NO CO 




34.80 
30.53 
38.50 
38.72 


31.63 
29.56 
33.51 

30.67 
32.21 


1— jTH 


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16.23 
14.49 
14.67 
15.96 

10.21 
8.22 
11.48 
12.41 
12.36 
14.27 

11.92 
13.18 
15.12 


On CO 00 
ID 00 00 

ID CN t- 




15.13 
13.41 
18.23 
20.86 


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12.62 
13.86 

15.32 
16.58 


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w 
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en 
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Per cent 

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from 

Peak 


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22.6 
19.4 
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17.9 
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26.2 
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14.4 


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19.7 
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^ 
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$19.04 
21.47 
17.18 
17.76 
18.03 

17.36 
13.48 
19.94 
20.50 
18.35 
18.69 

19.54 
15.93 
18.66 


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20.64 
20.11 
21.04 
20.09 


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23.41 


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28.27 
29.53 
27.62 
34.06 

25.22 
17.41 
24.75 
24.61 
22.71 
27.96 

26.46 
19.61 
26.63 


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28.68 
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11.26 

11.23 

9.63 

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1 


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27.9 
26.5 
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cooncn 

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CN CO tH 




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$22.87 
25.04 
20.93 
22.30 
23.01 

18.59 
15.50 
21.09 
19.57 
17.65 
24.66 

21.93 
22.43 
21.62 


On 00 co 
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24.17 
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29.01 
31.90 


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22.83 
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27.54 
27.31 


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03 

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25.94 
21.28 
25.46 
21.92 
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27.69 

24.43 
28.66 


ID r- O 
CN CN O 

OvDOO 
CO CN CN 




31.27 
22.17 
29.22 
33.59 


28.13 
26.65 
29.20 

27.80 
30.02 


<* COONC 
CO CO CO rt 


£2 

"Son 
I — J'—' 


$13.51 
15.35 
13.43 
13.44 
13.97 


8.90 
7.27 
9.77 
9.88 
8.59 
12.75 

11.24 
11.60 
12.07 


r^ cn no 
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12.14 

9.68 

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18.05 


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Textiles 
VI. Cotton 

(a) Cotton (North)... 

(b) Cotton (South) . . . 
VII. Wool 


0. 

> 


IX. Hosiery and Knit Goods 
X. Rubber 

Leather and Boots and Shoes 

XI. Leather Tanning 

XII. Boot and Shoe Mfg 

XIII. Meatpacking 

Chemicals and Paints 

XIV. Chemicals 


■E 

xi 

u 


a 

i. 

s 

s 


XV. Paint and Varnish 

Paper and Printing 
XVI. Paper Manufacturing 


(a) Paper and Wood 
Pulp 

(b) Paper Products... 
XVII. Printing (Book and Job) 

XVIII. Printing (Newspaper).. 
Building Materials and 


M 

o 

s 

S CS UJ 

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t: 

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CC 

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y 





25 



Fertilizer Manufacturing. 38.1% 

Iron'and Steel Manufacturing 37.3% 

Agriculturalilmplement Manufacturing; 31.5% 

Cotton (South) 30.5% 

Rubber Manufacturing 24.4% 

Meat Packing 23.9% 

Cotton (North) _ 23.6% 

Paper and Pulp Manufacturing 23.3% 

The smallest declines in hourly earnings have occurred among 

the following groups: 

Printing and Publishing (Book and Job) 2.5% 

Manufacture and Distribution of Gas 3.9% 

Printing and Publishing (Newspaper) ^-S% 

Paper Products Manufacturing 5.4% 

The largest declines from the peak in weekly earnings have 

occurred in the following groups: 

Iron and Steel Manufacturing 50.3% 

Fertilizer Manufacturing 39.9% 

Agricultural Implement Manufacturing, 38.2% 

Cotton (North). . .. ; 28.3% 

Foundry and Machine Shop Products 27.9% 

Cotton (South) 27.2% 

The smallest declines in weekly earnings occurred among the 

following groups: 

Printing and Publishing (Book and Job) 0.7% 

Generation and Distribution of Electricity 0.9% 

Printing and Publishing (Newspaper) 5.0% 

Boot and Shoe Manufacturing 8.2% 

Paper Products Manufacturing 8.3% 



G. Comparison of Composite Hourly and Weekly 
Earnings with the Cost of Living 

This investigation dealt primarily with hourly and weekly 
money wages of male labor, common and skilled, and women for 
various industries. Such data, however, do not directly 
reflect the economic status of the wage earner in the periods 
covered. In addition it is necessary to show the relation of 
money wages to the cost of living in order to ascertain the pur- 
chasing power of the wages received, or, in other words, to 
determine real wages. This is done by dividing the index of 
money wages at any given period by the index of the cost 
of living for that period. For example, if a weekly wage of 
$20 would buy one living at a time when the wage earner's 
cost of living was $20 a week, an increased weekly wage of $40 

26 



Chart G: Cost of Living, Hourly and Weekly "Money" and 
"Real" Wages, All Wage Earners, All Industries, July, 1914 
— January, 1922 



Cdu 
25D 
240 
230 
220 
210 
EDO 
1 90 
IBD 
I7D 
IGD 
I5D 
140 
I3D 
120 
1 ID 
IDD 


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(National Industrial Conference Board) 



27 



would buy two livings if the cost of living were stationary, or 
would buy one living with an increase of the cost of living to 
$40 per week, or would buy one and one-third livings, if the 
weekly cost of living were to r;se to $30 per week. A worker 
whose wage rose from $20 to $25 while the cost of living remained 
stationary, would be able to purchase one living and a quarter 
at the latter time and thus be 25% better off in real wages. 

In the present report the composite hourly and weekly 
earnings in the various industries and for the classified groups 
are shown, together with the changes in the cost of living for 
the country as a whole, as ascertained by the National Industrial 
Conference Board 1 and by combining the two, changes in real 
wages during the periods studied are brought out. Comparison 
of wage changes in specific industries, with changes in the cost 
of living for the country as a whole, serve, in a general way, to 
reflect the real wages in these separate industries, but they 
do not necessarily portray the actual purchasing power of 
money wages in particular industrial centers. Since most in- 
dustries are highly localized, the real wages of the workers in 
them can be determined accurately only on the basis o c a local- 
ized cost of living study. 

Table G and chart H show the composite and classified real 
hourly and weekly wages. 

Real Hourly Wages 

Starting in July, 1914, with index number 100 for cost of 
living, for money wages and for real wages ', in July, 1920, when 
the cost of living had reached an index figure of 204.5, actual 
hourly earnings had increased to 252. Thus, in July, 1920, 
the index for the real wage on the basis of hourly earnings 
was 123. 

While the peak of the cost of living was reached in July, 
1920, the peak of hourly earnings did not occur until September, 
1920. The decline in the cost of living, subsequent to July, 
1920, therefore, continued to increase the real hourly earnings, 
so that in March, 1921, they stood at 135. During the next 
three months, real hourly earnings remained at 132, but begin- 
ning in July, 1921 and continuing through the remaining 
months of the year, there was a continued decline, so that in 

'See Research Reports Nos. 9, 14, 17, 19, 25, 28, 30, 36, 39, 44. 

28 



Chart H: Index Numbers y "Real" Hourly and Weekly Earn- 
ings, All Industries, by Groups and for All Wage Earners, 
July, 1914— January, 1922 










"REAL" 


HOURLY 


EARNINGS 








































































JN 


^ 


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s 


< 


















J^V 


/ 








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j 


JN. JUL. AUG. E 


:p o 


:t. n 


]V. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. S 


er oct h v. oi :c. 



150 
145 
I4D 
135 
130 
125 
I 20 
I 15 
I ID 
105 
I0D 



I92D 1321 

"REAL" weekly earnings 




JULY 

1914 

















































































































































































/ 


^ 














r — 




7 




IS 

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JUN. J 


l| A 


,IR E 


rp [ 


IT. - NOV. 1 


JC.JAN. 


:b. mar. , 


JL AUG. E 


rr. ncv t 


X 


1331 


3 










1 


321 

























(National Industrial Conference Board) 
29 






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-.to S < S £> £< $ O £ Q 



SUA 



December, 1921, real hourly earnings stood at 122. During 
this period both actual hourly earnings and cost of living declined 
considerably, the decline in actual hourly earnings affecting the 
reduction of real hourly earnings more than the declining cost 
of living. In other words, at the beginning of 1922, the real 
hourly earnings of all wage earners were 11% higher than in 
July, 1914. 

In the specific groups, the peak of real hourly earnings for 
male common labor was reached in March, 1921, the index 
being 136 at this period. The last six months of 1921 witnessed 
a considerable decline in real hourly earnings of male common 
labor so that in December, 1921 they stood at 118 or 18% 
above the July, 1914 level. 

The peak of real hourly earnings for ?nale skilled labor was 
reached in March, 1921, when the index stood at 133. The 
last six months of 1921 showed a considerable decline in real 
hourly earnings of this class so that in December, 1921 they 
stood at 122 or 22% above July, 1914. 

The peak of real hourly earnings for wo?nen occurred much 
later than in the case of the other groups, the index standing 
at 143 in June, 1921. While the cost of living had declined 
considerably to this point, money wages for womm had not 
been considerably reduced. The consequence was a sustained 
level of real wages, with the peak occurring in the middle of 
1921. The last six months of 1921 showed a slight decline in 
real hourly earnings for women so that in December, 1921 the 
index stood at 136, or 36% above July, 1914. 

Real Weekly Wages 

The peak of real weekly earnings for all wage earners 
occurred in October, 1920, when the index number stood at 
121. The following months showed considerable decline in 
real weekly earnings., caused chiefly by the shortening of work- 
ing hours. The last six months of 1921 showed a more or less 
permanent level of real weekly earnings. The maintenance of 
real weekly earnings during the last six months of 1921, in 
the face of reduced hourly earnings, was due to an increase in 
working hours and a declining cost of living. In December, 
1921, the index of real^weekly earnings for all wage earners 

31 



stood at 111. In other words , at the beginning of 1922 real 
weekly earnings were 11% higher than in July, 1914. 

In the classified groups, the peak of real weekly earnings 
for male common labor occurred in September and October, 

1920, when the index stood at 125. The decline in real weekly 
earnings for common labor became severe at the beginning of 

1921, but during the last six months of 1921 remained at 
practically a stationary level, the index for December, 1921 
being 107, or 7% above the July, 1914 level. 

The peak of real weekly earnings of male skilled labor oc- 
curred in September and October, 1920, when the index number 
stood at 119. Gradual declines occurred up to July, 1921. 
The last six months of 1921 showed practically a stationary 
condition, the real weekly earnings index in December, 1921, 
being 111. The average skilled male laborer, therefore, was 
11% better off at the latter period than in July, 1914. 

The peak of real weekly earnings for women occurred in 
June, 1921, when the index was 126, attributable to causes 
already mentioned in the discussion of real hourly wages. The 
last six months of 1921 witnessed a practically stationary level 
of real weekly earnings, the index of December, 1921, being 
124. In other words, women were 24% better off at the be- 
ginning of 1922 than at July, 1914. At the close of 1921 the 
increase in the purchasing power of women's wages was far 
above that of men, the percentages of increase over 1914 in 
real weekly earnings for the three groups being male common 
labor, 7%; male skilled labor, 11%; women, 24%. 

The investigation, therefore, shows that at the beginning of 

1922, the average wage earner was 11% better off in real hourly 
wages and 11% better of in real weekly wages than in July, 
1914. The large amount of part time employment in addition 
to wage reductions was responsible for the great difference between 
real hourly and real weekly earnings. 

D. General Conclusions 

The study of wages, employment and hours in twenty-six 
principal manufacturing industries of the United States from 
July, 1914, up to July, 1922, shows: 

32 



1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 
1, 1922, stood at $.482, or 98% above the 1914 level of $.243. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners stood at 
$22.27, or 80% above the July, 1914 level of $12.36. 

3. Reductions in wages from the peak up to January, 1922, 
amounted to 22.4% in hourly earnings and 25% in weekly 
earnings. In these wage reductions, common labor was most 
affected, while women were considerably less affected than men. 

4. Weekly earnings declined more rapidly than hourly 
earnings, due to part time employment and the shortening of 
the working week. 

5. Employment declined 35.8% from June, 1920 to Jan- 
uary, 1922, the trough period of unemployment occurring 
in the middle of 1921, followed by a 3% increase up to January, 
1922. The industrial depression brought employment in 
identical establishments at the latter date 4% below the level 
of July, 1914. 

6. Between July, 1914 and June, 1920 there was a shorten- 
ing of the working week. Between June, 1920 and the trough 
period in April, 1921, the average actua 1 working hours declined 
4.9. By January, 1922, however, they had increased 2.6 hours 
to 46.2, but in the latter period they were still 2.3 hours 
below the peak at 1920. The recovery of the length of working 
hours helped maintain weekly earnings, although hourly earn- 
ings continued to decline during the last half of 1921. 

7. The effects of the industrial depression are most clearly 
shown in the decline in plant hours. The average plant in 
December, 1921, was working 2.6 hours below the peak reached 
in 1920. 

8. Between July, 1914 and June, 1920, the nominal week 
was reduced from 55.1 hours to 50.7. By January, 1922, it 
had declined still further to 49.8. 

9. The real hourly wage of the average wage earner was 22% 
higher and the real weekly wage 11% higher in December ', 1921 
than in July, 1914. Measured by the purchasing power of money 
wages, the economic status of the average wage earner in the princi- 
pal manufacturing industries was still higher at the end of 1921 

33 



than before the war, despite considerable wage reductions, part- 
time employment, and curtailment of production due to the in- 
dustrial depression. The last six months of 1921 witnessed 
practically sustained levels of both actual and real weekly earnings, 
so that at the close of 1921, conditions pointed to a return of more 
stable wage Conditions and the termination of the period of deflation. 



FOUNDRY AND MACHINE SHOP PRODUCTS 1 

The metal trades have been divided into four sections in this 
wage investigation: foundry and machine shops products, 
agricultural implement manufacturing, automobile manufac- 
turing and electrical apparatus manufacturing. The foundry 
and machine shop division covers all establishments not in- 
cluded under other classifications in the metal manufacturing 
group. Foundries and machine shops are necessarily employed 
in the manufacture of a great variety of products, and while 
there are establishments making well-defined products that 
might be placed in a separate group, many other foundries and 
machine shops manufacture miscellaneous products of such 
wide variety that separation into these smaller classifications 
has not been made. Generally speaking, exclusive of the three 
other industries designated above, the classification "foundry 
and machine shop products" covers the type of establishments 
studied. 

Returns were received from 1,353 plants, 1,338 of which fur- 
nished information for the last wage investigation. The largest 
number of wage earners employed in any one month was 
388,560 in September, 1920. Thus, over 73% of the wage 
earners reported by the 1919 Census of Manufactures as em- 
ployed in foundries and machine shops are covered in this report. 
The data may be considered representative in the coverage 
of wage earners and in the distribution and size of establish- 
ments involved. The investigation covers the states where the 
largest amount of foundry and machine shop products is 
manufactured. The geographical distribution within 42 states 
and Canada is as follows: 

Alabama 7 Kentucky 9 

Arkansas 1 Louisiana 2 

California 39 Maine 3 

Colorado 3 Maryland 7 

Connecticut 84 Massachusetts 151 

Delaware 6 Michigan 59 

Georgia 3 Minnesota 14 

Illinois 104 Missouri 43 

Indiana 48 Montana 2 

Iowa 22 Nebraska 4 

Kansas 7 Nevada 1 

Exclusive of agricultural implements, automobiles and electrical apparatus manu- 
facturing. 

35 



New Hampshire 7 Tennessee 5 

New Jersey 49 Texas 9 

New Mexico 1 Utah 1 

New York 179 Vermont 5 

North Carolina 2 Virginia 6 

Ohio 182 Washington 12 

Oklahoma 4 West Virginia 6 

Oregon 4 Wisconsin 53 

Pennsylvania 186 Wyoming 1 

Rhode Island 20 Canada 1 

South Carolina 1 

Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.275. By September, 1920, 
they had risen 137% to S.652. The decline was 22.1% from the 
latter period up to January, 1922, at which time the average 
hourly earnings were $.508, an increase of 85% over July, 1914. 
The decline in hourly earnings, though extensive, has been 
gradual throughout the period covered by the investigation. 

In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of male co7nmon 
labor were $.219. By September, 1920, they had increased 
153% to $.553. The decline from the latter period up to Janu- 
ary, 1922 was 25.1% to $.414. In July, 1914, the average 
hourly earnings of male skilled labor were S.304. By September, 
1920, they had risen 135% to 5.713, declining again 21.3% to 
5.561 from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In 
July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of women were $.146. 
In September and October, 1920, they had risen 168% to $.392. 
The decline from this peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 
22.2%, the average hourly earnings at the beginning of 1922 
being $.305. By January, 1922, therefore, the average hourly 
earnings of these three groups had increased respectively 89%, 
85% and 109% over the July, 1914 levels. Relatively, the 
largest net increase over 1914 was found in the female group, 
while the largest amount of decline from the peak was found 
in the male common labor group. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were 513.5 1 . By October, 1920, 
they had risen 135% to $31.72. The decline amounted to 
27.9% from the latter period up to January, 1922, at which 
time the average weekly earnings were $22.87, a net increase 
of 69% over July, 1914. The general high level of weekly 
earnings was maintained in 1920. The first six months of 
1921 witnessed severe declines in weekly earnings, due to cur- 

36 



CENTS 
PER noun 

IDOr 



go 

BO 



Foundry and Machine- Shop Practice 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 



TO 
BO 
50 
40 
30 
20 
10 




JULY 

1914 

DOLLARS 
PER WEEK 

50, — 



45 
40 
35 
30 
25 
20 
15 
ID 




1320 1921 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 




/ 



~r 



1914 




1920 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

37 



Composite Payroll Data- 


-Foundries and Machine Shops 




Number Wage 














Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Hours 


(All Wage Earners) 


One 
Week 


1914-22 
Establ. 
(1047 
plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 
(1353 

plants) 


Av. 
Week 

Per 
Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


204,209 




49.2 


53.2 


55.0 


$.275 


$13.51 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


314,467 


381,464 


49.9 


51.5 


51.7 


.630 


31.42 


229 


233 


July.... 


317,123 


385,078 


49.9 


51.5 


52.5 


.631 


31.47 


229 


233 


Aug. .. . 


318,989 


387,402 


49.9 


51.5 


52.2 


.634 


31.63 


231 


234 


Sept. .. . 


321,093 


388,560 


48.5 


50.6 


51.6 


.652 


31.61 


237 


234 


Oct 


309,889 


376,890 


49.3 


50.5 


51.6 


.644 


31.72 


234 


235 


Nov. . . . 


292,671 


356,560 


47.9 


49.6 


51.9 


.639 


30.61 


232 


227 


Dec.... 


272,717 


333,544 


47.2 


47.7 


51.8 


.641 


30.23 


233 


224 


1921 




















Jan 


239,896 


292,945 


44.4 


45.7 


51.3 


.622 


27.62 


226 


204 


Feb ... . 


227,716 


278,927 


43.1 


44.0 


52.6 


.617 


26.55 


224 


197 


March. . 


213,884 


263,749 


42.1 


43.5 


52.4 


.597 


25.12 


217 


186 


April. . . 


197,936 


244,615 


41.3 


42.4 


53.3 


.580 


23.96 


211 


177 


May . . . 


184,156 


228,113 


41.9 


43.0 


52.3 


.577 


24.16 


210 


179 


June . . . 


176,195 


216,687 


41.3 


42.4 


52.7 


.563 


23.27 


205 


172 


July*... 


163,105 


197,943 


40.4 


42.7 


51.2 


.558 


22.52 


203 


167 


Aug.... 


158,212 


193,185 


41.3 


42.9 


51.5 


.541 


22.35 


197 


165 


Sept 


160,001 


193,599 


41.8 


43.8 


51.9 


.528 


22.10 


192 


164 


Oct 


162,953 


196,608 


43.6 


45.1 


52.1 


.517 


22.54 


188 


167 


Nov 


169,709 


204,214 


43.8 


45.8 


50.7 


.508 


22.24 


185 


165 


Dec ... . 


173,307 


208,459 


45.0 


46.4 


50.6 


.508 


22.87 


185 


169 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 

tailment of working hours. During the last six months of 1921, 
weekly earnings were maintained on a level of between $22.00 
and $23.00 because of the resumption of longer working hours, 
while hourly earnings continued to decline. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $11.19. By August, 1920, they had increased 149% 
to $27.85. From the latter period up to January, 1922, they 
declined 31.6% to $19.04. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $14.74. By October, 1920, 
they had increased 135% to $34.59, and then declined 27.5% to 
$25.08 from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. 
In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of women were $7.14. 
By September, 1920, they had increased 156% to $18.30. The 
decline from this peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 27.6%, 
the average wage at the beginning of 1922 being $13.25. By 

38 



Foundry and Machine- Shop Products 



THDUSANOS 



NUMBER DF WAGE EARNERS 



tuu 
35D 






3DD 




' 




/ 


25D 


/ 






/ 




/ 


20D 






150 






100 






50 











JL 

19 


LY 

14 


HOURS 
PER WEEK 


BO 






55 




^^ 




-— - ~0^>^ 


50 







45 






40 






35 






30 






P5 






JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV OEC . 

1320 1921 

AVERAGE HOURS OF WORK 



JULY 

1314 




JUN. JUL. AUB. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUB. SEP. OCT. NOV DEC . 

1320 1321 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

39 



January, 1922, therefore, the weekly earnings for these three 
groups had increased respectively 70%, 70% and 86% over 
the July, 1914 levels. 

Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered declined 
45.4% from June, 1920 up to January, 1922. The percentages 
of decline for the three groups during this period were as fol- 
lows: male common labor, 47.4%; male skilled labor, 44.2%, 
and women, 48.5%. Reductions in the number of employees, 
have been severe throughout the entire period of the investi- 
gation. The largest decline in employment occurred in the 
first six months of 1921. The employment situation in the 
foundry and machine shop group reflects broadly the course 
of the general industrial depression. Indications point to the 
taking over by skilled labor of work formerly done by unskilled 
labor, and of a general return of women from industrial to 
domestic and other occupations. 

The total number of employees in identical establishments 
declined 15% between July, 1914, and the beginning of 1922. 
The effect of the industrial depression is seen in this dropping 
off in employment. While the foundry and machine shop in- 
dustry increased tremendously in activity between 1914 and the 
middle of 1920, the tremendous decline during the industrial 
depression period brought employment in the same establish- 
ments below the 1914 level. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 55 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. Following a reduction of hours during the war period, 
there was a decline of 51.7 hours by June, 1920. July and 
August witnessed increases to more than 52 hours, but the 
closing months of 1920 showed a decline again, so that by 
January, 1921, the average nominal week had declined to 51.3. 
Considerable increases were noted in the succeeding five months, 
but the closing months of the year 1921 showed further declines, 
so that in December the average nominal week stood at 50.6 
hours. 

The average hours oj plant operation declined from 53.2 hours 
in July, 1914 to 51.5 hours in June, 1920. Industrial depression 
began to take effect in December, 1920, and the following 
months. In April and June plant hours had shrunk to 42.4. 

40 



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The last six months of 1921, however, witnessed a revival, and 
in December the average hours of plant activity had risen to 46.4. 

The average actual week -per wage earner showed an increase 
from 49.2 hours in July, 1914, to 49.9 hours in June, 1920. The 
general high level of working hours was maintained till No- 
vember, when the effect of the industrial depression began to 
be felt. The first six months of 1921 showed a continual de- 
cline in working hours to a level of 40.4 hours in July. During 
the last months of 1921, however, a revival took place so that 
in December an average of 45 hours was maintained. It will 
be noted that at this time working hours were still 4.9 hours 
below the level of June, 1920. 

An analysis of the accompanying chart on hours shows that 
working hours have closely followed those of plant activity. 
It would seem, therefore, that management has adopted the 
policy of employing wage earners at practically the full time of 
plant operation, though large numbers were laid off perma- 
nently during the depression period. 

Conclusion 

The foundry and machine shop group, the largest industry 
covered in this investigation, may be taken as a barometer of 
general wage conditions. A careful comparison should be made 
with other industries in this report. The study of wages and 
hours in foundries and machine shops shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $.508 or 85% above the July, 1914 level of $.275. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners stood at 
S22.87 or 69% above the July, 1914 level of $13.51. 

3. Wage reductions from the peak, of 22.1 in hourly earn- 
ings and 27.9% in weekly earnings, were somewhat above the 
general average in other industries. The large decline in weekly 
earnings may be accounted for by the slump in working hours. 

4. Total employment declined 45.4% between June, 1920 
and the beginning of 1922, showing the effect of the industrial 
depression. 

5. During the last six months of 1921 there was some indi- 
cation of a revival to more normal conditions shown by increased 
employment and lengthened working hours. At the close of 
1921, however, working time was still 4.9 hours below the level 
of 49.9 hours reached in June, 1920, or a loss of 10%. 

42 



II 

AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURING 

The wage investigation in the automobile industry covered 
establishments manufacturing and assembling complete auto- 
mobiles, both passenger cars and motor trucks, and also plants 
producing automotive parts. The latter group, however, in- 
cludes plants engaged only in manufacturing parts directly 
used by the automobile industry, and does not include jobbers, 
dealers or rubber tire manufacturers. Returns were received 
from 86 plants, 82 of which supplied information for the last 
wage investigation. The largest number of wage earners em- 
ployed in any one month in the 82 plants was 95,739 in June, 
1920. Approximately 24% of the wage earners reported by 
the 1919 Census of Manufactures for the automobile industry 
are covered in this report. The geographical distribution 



wi 



thin 13 states is as follows: 



California 2 Nebraska 1 

Connecticut 2 New Jersey 3 

Illinois..... 6 New York 11 

Indiana 11 Ohio 9 

Massachusetts 6 Pennsylvania 5 

Michigan 22 Wisconsin 5 



Missouri. 



Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.291. By July, 1920, they 
had increased 139% to $.696. The decline from the latter 
period up to January, 1922 amounted to 17.8%, leaving the 
average hourly earnings $.572, an increase of 97% over July, 
1914. A general high level of hourly earnings was sustained 
through October, 1920, but in the next months they declined 
rapidly. The last six months of 1921 witnessed more gradual 
declines, except that in December there occurred a reduction of 
.018 cents per hour. 

43 



In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.220. By October, 1920, they had reached 
$.587, an increase of 167%, and then declined 24.9% to $.441 
from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 
1914, the average hourly earnings of male skilled labor were 
$.312. By June, 1920, they had reached $.765, a net increase 
of 145%, declining 20.7% to $.607 from the latter period to 
the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, the average hourly earn- 
ings of women were $.249. In September, 1920, they had 
reached $.423, an increase of 70%. The decline from this peak 
up to the beginning of 1922 was 15.1%, the average wage at 
the beginning of 1922 being $.359. By January, 1922, therefore, 
the hourly earnings for these three groups had increased re- 
spectively 100%, 95% and 44% over the July, 1914 level. 

(b) Weekly earnings: In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of all wage earners were $15.35. By July, 1920, they 
had reached $34.05, an increase of 122%. The decline from this 
period up to the beginning of 1922 amounted to 26.5%, the aver- 
age weekly earnings being $25.04 at the latter period, a net 
increase of 63% over July, 1914. During the last half of 1920 
there was a gradual decline of weekly earnings from the peak. 
Weekly earnings during 1921 fluctuated considerably, due to 
the variation in working hours. The last five months of 1921, 
except for October, showed a consistent level of over $25.00 
in average weekly earnings. Changes in the working week 
caused these changes in weekly earnings. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $12.15. By July, 1920, they had reached $28.27, 
an increase of 133%. The decline from the latter period up to 
1922 was 24.1% to $21.47. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $16.23. By July, 1920, they 
had increased 126% to $36.75, declining 28.8% to $26.18 from 
the latter period to the beginning of 1922. By June, 1914, 
the average weekly earnings of women were $12.03. By Sep- 
tember, 1920, they had increased 57% to $18.93. The decline 
from this peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 25.2%, at 
which time average earnings were $14.16. By January, 1922, 
therefore, the average weekly earnings of these three groups 
had increased respectively 77%, 61% and 18% over the July, 
1914 levels. 

44 



CENTS 

PEH HOI 

100 
90 
BO 
70 
60 
50 
40 
30 
80 
10 



Automobile Manufacturing 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 



IB 





14 



^ 



w** 



'E N 



JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APH. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . 



fc 



DOLLARS 
PER WEEK 

50 



45 
40 
35 
30 
85 
20 
15 
10 
5 



I92D 1921 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 




JULY 

1914 




I9SI 



(National Industrial Conference Board) 

45 



Composite Payroll Data — Automobile Manufacturing 





Number Wage 










VA7V, 






Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Hours 


(All Wage Earners) 


One 
Week 


1914-22 

Establ. 

(53 
plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 

(86 
plants) 


Av. 

Week 
Per 

Wage 
Earner 


Av. 

Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 
Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


23,138 




52.7 


54.6 


54. 3 


$.291 


$15.35 


100 


100 


1920 




















Tune . . . 


71,728 


95,739 


48.1 


50.6 


51.6 


.692 


33.27 


238 


111 


July.... 


72,147 


95,700 


48.9 


50.1 


50.5 


.696 


34.05 


239 


222 


Aug... . 


61,707 


84,233 


47.9 


49.6 


50.1 


.694 


33.27 


238 


217 


Sept 


56,252 


71,734 


47.4 


49.0 


50.9 


.694 


32.95 


238 


215 


Oct 


42,548 


52,075 


44.7 


46.3 


51.0 


.688 


30.74 


236 


200 


Nov. . . . 


33,231 


41,554 


43.4 


46.1 


50.5 


.670 


29.12 


230 


190 


Dec.... 


26,832 


34,917 


43.6 


46.4 


50.7 


.647 


28.19 


222 


184 


1921 




















Jan 


24,439 


31,575 


39.8 


40.3 


50.9 


.638 


25.41 


219 


166 


Feb.... 


26,218 


33,825 


42.4 


42.6 


50.9 


.634 


26.86 


218 


175 


March. . 


30,587 


39,055 


46.9 


46.3 


51.2 


.625 


29.32 


215 


191 


April . . . 


34,168 


45,518 


46.8 


44.6 


50.9 


.613 


28.71 


211 


187 


May . . . 


35,240 


47,893 


42.8 


44.6 


50.3 


.605 


25.89 


208 


169 


June . . . 


34,155 


46,791 


43.3 


43.6 


51.1 


.594 


25.76 


204 


168 


July*... 


26,135 


36,952 


45.2 


47.4 


50.0 


.602 


27.20 


207 


177 


Aug. .. . 


30,929 


41,322 


43.1 


45.2 


50.7 


.596 


25.69 


205 


167 


Sept.... 


32,554 


43,676 


43.4 


44.6 


50.6 


.588 


25.51 


202 


166 


Oct 


31,686 


42,802 


46.0 


47.1 


50.3 


.590 


27.16 


203 


177 


Nov. . . . 


31,158 


41,422 


43.0 


45.1 


50.3 


.590 


25.35 


203 


165 


Dec. .. . 


29,472 


39,365 


43.8 


45.7 


50.3 


.572 


25.04 


197 


163 



*See Introduction, p. 



Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered declined 
58.9% from June, 1920 up to the beginning of 1922. The per- 
centages of decline for the three groups during this period were 
as follows: male common labor, 73.8%; male skilled labor, 
53.9%; women, 62.7%. The great decline in employment in 
the automobile industry may be traced directly to the industrial 
depression. There was a rapid decline up to the beginning of 
1921, and the year 1921 was characterized by variations due 
to the fluctuation of general economic conditions. It will be 
noted that in the classified groups common labor and women 
suffered more than skilled labor in employment reductions. 

46 



THOUSANDS 
I DO 



go 
so 

70 
BO 
50 
40 



Automobile Manufacturing 

NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS 



30 
EO 



01 

JULY 

1914 



BO 



55 



50 



45 



40 



35 



30 



E5 

JULY 

igi4. 



































fl 


»SSH 


k 




































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1 


^ 


\ 






^ 


/ 


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**, 


k 


><£•*'•■ 


BOS (5 












^ 


k 


^ 


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V all wage earners 

I9I4--2I ESTAB. 


.... 


^,. 


-tr, 




































s<v 


N 


h 


te> 






























-™ 


S 1 ^ 


SB. 


























— ^ 



J UN. JUL AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAP. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV DEC . 

19 20 I9EI 





AVERAGE HOURS 


DF WOI 


?K 


















































^ 


?a» 


«»** 






NO* 


/IN 


VL V\ 


EEK 


» a 


••*• 


*>+ 


'V 


r** 












"■* 


-<■.. 


\, 












V 






A 
R 

/ 


CTU 
.ANT 

N 


AL V 
OP 


/EE^ 

ERA1 
i 


( OF 

HON 

V 


n*»* 














\ 
V 






^* 














V 












/ 


aCTL 
\A/A 


AL 
BE 


A/EE 


K PE 

MER 


fl 



























































































JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APP..MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . 

1950 I9EI 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

47 



Employment in identical establishments between July, 1914 
and the end of 1921 increased 27.4%. The expansion of the 
automobile industry between 1914 and 1920 prevented em- 
ployment during the depression period from dropping to the 
level of 1914. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 54.3 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. By June, 1920, the nominal week had declined to 51.6 
hours and the general level of slightly more than 50 hours was 
maintained up to January, 1922. 

The average hours of plant operation declined from 54.6 hours 
in July, 1914 to 50.6 hours in June, 1920. A gradual decline 
occurred through September, 1920. In January, 1921, the low 
point of 40.3 hours was reached. An increase to 46.3 hours 
occurred in March, followed again by a decline in the next 
three months, with another increase in July. Fluctuations 
marked the entire course of plant activity during 1921. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline from 
52.7 hours in July, 1914 to 48.1 hours in July, 1920. There was 
a decline to 39.8 hours in January, 1921. The year 1921 wit- 
nessed various fluctuations in working hours, there having 
been several peak and depression periods during the year. In 
December, 1921, working hours were at practically the same 
level as in December, 1920. 



Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in automobile manufacturing 
shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $.5.72,"or 97% above the July, 1914 level of $.291. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 
1, 1922 stood at $25.04, or 63% above the July, 1914 level of 

$15.35. 

3. The decline of 17.8% from the peak in hourly earnings 
was on the general level with the decline in most basic industries, 
while the decline of 26. 5% in weekly earnings was somewhat above 

48 



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49 



the general average. The latter decline was due chiefly to a 
slump in working hours. 

4. Employment declined 58.9% from June, 1920 to January 
1922, showing the effect of the economic depression. 

5. The year 1921 was marked by considerable fluctuations 
as to employment and working hours, though a return to more 
stable conditions was indicated at the close of 1921. 



50 



Ill 

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT MANUFACTURING 

Wage data in this industry cover establishments manufac- 
turing plows, cultivators, tractors, harvesting implements, etc. 
They include, also, several plants where, in addition to agri- 
cultural implements, other products not distinctly agricultural, 
such as windmills, carriages and wagons, are made. The classi- 
fication practically follows that of the United States Census of 
Manufactures. Returns were received from 121 plants, 117 
of which furnished information for the last wage investigation. 
The largest number of wage earners employed in any one 
month was 45,430, in September, 1920. Over 78% of the wage 
earners reported by the 1919 Census of Manufactures for the 
agricultural implement industry are covered in this report. 
The geographical distribution within 20 states is as follows: 

Arkansas 1 Minnesota 5 

California. 5 Missouri. 4 

Georgia. 3 Nebraska 2 

Illinois 25 New Jersey . 1 

Indiana. 8 New York. 14 

Iowa 11 Ohio 11 

Kansas 1 Pennsylvania .................... 5 

Kentucky 3 Tennessee 1 

Louisiana 1 Virginia . 1 

Michigan 2 Wisconsin 1 7 

Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.262. By September, 1920, 
they had increased 164% to $.692. The decline from the latter 
period up to January, 1922 was 31.5%, leaving the average 
hourly earnings $.474, an increase of 81% over July, 1914. The 
general high level of hourly earnings was sustained through 
November, 1920. Beginning in December, 1920, and con- 
tinuing through to the spring of 1921, severe reductions in hourly 
earnings took place. The year 1921 was marked by severe 

51 



declines, there having been a total drop of $.194 cents per hour 
during the year. 

In July, 1914 the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.220. By September, 1920, they had increased 
167% to $.587. The decline from the latter period up to Janu- 
ary, 1922 was 30% to $.411. In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $.283. By September, 1920, 
they had risen 162% to 1741, declining 32.4% to $.501 from the 
latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, the 
average hourly earnings of women were 5.167. By September, 
1920, they had risen 192% to $.488. The decline from this 
peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 30.7%, the average 
hourly earnings at the beginning of 1922 being $.338. By 
January, 1922, therefore, the average hourly earnings of these 
three groups had increased respectively 87%, 77% and 102% 
over July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were $13.43. By September, 1920, 
they had increased 152% to $33.85. The decline from the latter 
period to January, 1922 was 38.2%, at which time the average 
weekly earnings were $20.93, a net increase of 56% over July, 
1914. The general high level of weekly earnings was main- 
tained through November, 1920. Beginning in January, 1921, 
and continuing for the next six months, severe declines occurred, 
due to reduction in hourly rates and working hours. The 
last six months of 1921 showed a fairly sustained level of 
approximately $20.50. While hourly wages continued down- 
ward, working hours increased, which helped to maintain 
weekly earnings at a more or less stationary level. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $11.34. By October, 1920, they had increased 160% 
to $29.53. From the latter period up to January, 1922, they 
declined 41.8% to $17.18. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $14.49. By September, 
1920, they reached 536.04, an increase of 149%, and then de- 
clined 37.4% to $22.56 from the latter period up to the begin- 
ning of 1922. In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of 
women were $8.14. By September, 1920, they had increased 
189% to $23.51. The decline from this peak up to January, 
1922, amounted to 35.5%, the average wage at the beginning of 

52 



CENTS 
PER HOUR 

I DO 



Agricultural Implement^ Manufacturing 



AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 



3D 
BO 
70 
BO 
50 
40 
30 
20 
10 




JULY 

1314 

DOLLARS 
PEH WEEK 

50 



45 
40 
35 
30 
£5 
20 
15 
10 
5 





































1 


^ 














































_.. 


, 





*-... 


-jjftpfc 


U*. 






































«fr&? 


v 
A 
























ALL 


T^H 












»- . 


"m 




> 








— 


"**S 




N.._ 






l ur 






















"wt 


JMEN*™ 


N 




•*.. 


'»« « 


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v.. 




























































































































J 


JN. JUL. AUG. S 


lC. JAN. FEB 


AY JUN. . 


I92Q 


I 


321 


























AVERAGE WEE KLY EARNINGS 



JULY 

1914 




1920 



(National Industrial Conference Board) 

53 



Composite Payroll Data — Agricultural Implement 
Manufacturing 



Period 


Number Wage 

Earners 

Employed 


Average Hours 


Wages 

(All Wage Earners) 


One 
Week 


1914-22 

Establ. 
(93 

plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 

(121 
plants) 


Av. 

Week 
Per 

Wage 
Earner 


Av. 

Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- -j 

nal 
Week t 


Av. 
Irly. 
Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 
Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


29,692 




51.3 


51.9 


55.4 $ 


262 


$13.43 


100 


100 


1920 




















June. . . 


40,924 


44,751 


49.9 


50.8 


50.0 


672 


33.49 


256 


249 


Jul v.... 


40,576 


44,643 


49.2 


50.5 


49.9 


677 


33.30 


258 


248 


Aug.... 


41,120 


45,156 


49.3 


50.7 


49.9 


686 


33.81 


262 


252 


Sept. . . . 


41,472 


45,430 


48.9 


50.2 


50.2 


692 


33.85 


264 


252 


Oct 


41,073 


44,908 


49.1 


50.2 


50.2 


679 


33.38 


259 


249 


Nov. . . . 


41,045 


44,453 


48.8 


49.5 


50.8 


680 


33.18 


260 


247 


Dec... 


37,099 


39,419 


45.6 


46.4 


50.5 


668 


30.46 


255 


227 


1921 




















Jan 


34,717 


37,372 


43.0 


44.3 


51.0 


650 


27.98 


248 


208 


Feb.... 


31,758 


34,406 


40.7 


40.2 


50.7 


633 


25.77 


242 


192 


March.. 


29,075 


31,557 


40.8 


41.2 


50 . 5 


627 


25.57 


239 


190 


April . . . 


23,880 


25,568 


40.1 


40.0 


51.0 


558 


22.35 


213 


166 


May . . . 


17,510 


18,882 


39.0 


38.4 


51.3 


541 


21.11 


206 


157 


June . . . 


13,973 


15,194 


38.9 


38.8 


51.5 


532 


20.69 


203 


154 


July*... 


10,875 


11,478 


38.4 


39.6 


50.9 


535 


20.54 


204 


153 


Aug 


10,748 


11,377 


39.3 


40.2 


50.7 


537 


21.08 


205 


157 


Sept 


9,962 


10,651 


40.4 


40.7 


50.2 


509 


20.52 


194 


153 


Oct 


9,706 


10,417 


40.6 


40.4 


50.5 


501 


20.36 


191 


152 


Nov.... 


11,177 


11,841 


43.3 


43.8 


50 . 5 


473 


20.45 


181 


152 


Dec. . . 


13,739 


14,516 


44.2 


44.6 


50.5 


474 


20.93 


181 


156 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 

1922 being SI 5. 16. By January, 1922, therefore, the weekly 
earnings for these three groups had increased respectively 
51%, 56% and 86% over the 1914 levels. 



Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered declined 
67.6% from June, 1920 up to the beginning of 1922. The per- 
centages of decline for the three groups during this period were 
as follows: male common labor, 70%; male skilled labor, 
67.1%, and women, 55.7%. The decline in employment was 
greater than that in any other basic industry covered by the 
report. Extensive reductions took place down through Oc- 

54 



45 






40 


, 


/ 


35 


' 


/ 


3D 






25 






20 
15 








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19 


LY 

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EK 




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5D 




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N 




45 
40 








35 






30 






25 





Agricultural Implement Manufacturing 
NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS 




JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV DEC . 

1920 1921 
AVERAGE HOURS OF WORK 



JULY 

1914 




JUN. JUL. AUS. 3EP OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AU6. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC 

1920 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

55 



tober, 1921. In November, and particularly in December, 
increases occurred showing a trend toward resumption of pro- 
ductive activity. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 55.4 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. In June, 1920, the hours had declined to 50, and this 
general level was maintained to the close of 1920. The first 
six months of 1921 showed slight increases to between 51 and 
5l}4 hours, followed by a decline in the last six months of 1921 
to approximately 50 }4 hours. 

The average hours oj plant operation declined from 51.9 hours 
in July, 1914, to 50.8 hours in June, 1920. The general level 
of plant activity continued through November, 1920. Begin- 
ning in December, there was a continued decline in plant ac- 
tivity down through June, 1921. Beginning in July, a percep- 
tible increase took place, so that by December, 1921, the average 
hours of plant operation stood at 44.6. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline 
from 51.3 hours in July, 1914 to 49.9 hours in June, 1920. 
The general trend of working hours closely followed that of 
plant activity. The trough or depression period was reached 
in July, 1921. The succeeding months, however, witnessed a 
strong revival of working hours so that an increase to 44.2 
hours was reached in December, 1921. The resumption of 
working hours has materially helped maintain weekly earnings 
at a fairly stationary level. 

Conclusion 

The agricultural implement industry was one of the basic 
industries most directly affected during the depression period. 
The deflation in the prices of farm products resulted in a 
curtailment of the buying power and credit of farmers, 
and hence stagnation occurred in the agricultural implement 
market. In addition, the stoppage of foreign credits and orders 
largely cut off exportation. Increased working hours and em- 
ployment in the last six months of 1921, however, point toward 
a revival. The study of wages and hours in the agricultural 
implement industry shows that: 

56 



1 


O M 

x 


03 


Co H«H(M»vin to oo h O ^ (^ in m i/i \D O vO 

<0> OO OO OO OO OO t^ N ^^^rtrHOO ONt^OOOOXOO 
'N CN fN <N fN fN CN CN CS CS M (S rl >h ^_ _h ^ ,_ ,— ^ 


3 
O 


Q> ^Oi'OMt^n^ os oo so r-^ -<f oo r-» «-n co cn on cn 
Ci oo oo oo a. oo oo oo r^r^LocooM MD(N(NOnO 
*N (N CN fN (N (N fN <N M rl tN CJ M M fN CN fN <N *— ' CN 


Av. 
Weekly 
Earn- 
ings 


\fc ^Ulr-rH^OlrH N 1~^ M h- h- ^ OO CO (N '"f 1 OS SO 

^ oo O Os lo rf 'f t-h ^rHvoo^fO oo o O '— i oo <— i 

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^9. M M (S M M M rl (~.) f» ,_ _< _ ^h ,_ ,_ ^ ^ _^ _^ 


Av. 
Hourly 
Earn- 
ings 


Jn CT\ rl N M ON M O <innoosOOH ONSOn-- < en oo 

so \o oo i^ oo r- i^- r- so so <n as os oo r-f^i^-t^nn 


."3 2 


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oo oo n oo oo o\ r- r- 'tminn^o »- < r- O O ^f ^ 
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*> r- so -t \o O in os rinMoo'f in r-M(NOOso 

^ OO CO rfr< ON CN CO CN sOsOM^r-nn .— i ^f OS OO O <N 
<^s '-l**-' '-'hM fN -— i <— < O O oo r~- so rh ^ rf ^r- m u-i 


Q 
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3 

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w 
< 


x'S 




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Q> -^HTf^'^-'-Ti-'^Cl C oo oo so i/i mi in so in in in in 

*N (N M CN CN CN CN M CNr-H-^-— 1>— i<-h _h _ ,-h ,_ ,_ ,— i 


T2 

3 
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Qs m so os cn r^ r^ n so as r-- .-^ m <n in m •* r) oo r- 
Co unininsoinini-n "tntniHOO OOOsOsr^-r^ 
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Av. 
Weekly 
Earn- 
ings 


Os oo m os Th r^ r-i os oosmnso^r m en r- in ^ so 
\s r-^oooDinrt t^.ennos^'-i n -h <t en -h ^ 

\t, in in in so in m n o^r^-r-cocNCN fN co fN fN cn fN 
^ COCOCOCOCOCOCO fsl tN rN CN tN M fN fN CN CN CN CN 
69, 


Av. 
Hourly 
Earn- 
ings 


fn fN ^r 1 -^ -h oo co so r^-sor— isOi—icN os in Os fN »n ^- 
oo rN cn co rf cs cs i— i as r^ r- a> oo r-- r^r^-^f^oo 
f\j f\f^r^r^r--r^r^ so so so m in m in in in in m in 

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■— j w 

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> 3 3 


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4-i 

^< 03 


tN ■* so O (N OS so CN CO >— i in O OS fN (^ SO (N in -* in 
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Q 

W 

3 

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x £ 


>■ 


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3 
O 

re 


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fCs in so so so sO so in in t^ ^f t-h r— i r— i OOOsOsoooo 
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Av. 
Weekly 
Earn- 
ings 


J"* r^- en so Os en en "t ensoomsoso OS r^ to i— i en oo 
cV) ^o (^ -t t-i iri ri oo in c-t r^ oo i< o oo in r- so ^^ ^^ 

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>< fN fN fN fN fN fN <N <N CN CN <-h >-< <— • ^ — i ' — ' ' — i ■■ — ' ■ — ' ' — ' 

«*5. 


Av. 
Hourly 
Earn- 
ings 


fCs ^-finr^OssOO Os en so 1^ en Cl en CO ^ en en rH 

fs 4 so r- oo oo (^ r^ r- in^cnr^r-so ^f ^f en fN -— < r-< 
c\j i_o in in in in in in ir, u-iin^f-^Tr 1 -Tr'"^^''^-'^"'^ 


.'3 £ 


so CAO^hOOn Os O in so O -— < <— i O Os fN io Os 

*N O O O Os i— iOsl^ en^OOSOsOs oor^-ooas--H^-i 
Vr^ ininin^fin^t 1 ^ ^^rfrneon cococnco^t 1 ^ 


Ore 


^ 0»-'fN(NOsfNoo r-fNOOOsr^- ^hOsr-fN^in 
Oq en oo x in (^ 't Os so en --h Os oo r— i rnenOHinb 
°is c ^ ^ r i> c ^ cv l, ^ u *^ ^^^^^^ i— ! OS OS O^fN SO 
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f 
t 
f 


in 1 - 1 


Sic 
0£~ 





57 



1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 
1, 1922 stood at $.474, or 81% above the 1914 level of $.262. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners stood at 
$20.93, or 56% above the July, 1914 level of $13.43. 

3. The wage reductions of 31.5% from the peak in hourly 
earnings, and of 38.2% in weekly earnings, were greater 
than the declines in other basic industries. 

4. Employment declined 67.6% from June, 1920, to the 
beginning of 1922, reflecting the depression in the industry. 



5 P. 



IV 

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS MANUFACTURING 

The data for this industry cover establishments engaged in 
the manufacturing of electrical apparatus, electrical machinery 
and electrical appliances. So far as possible, the study has been 
restricted to manufacturers of electrical equipment and supplies, 
not including manufacturers who assemble this class of material 
with other products. The survey covers no establishments 
engaged in jobbing in either wholesale or retail trade. The 
data includes 91 of the 107 plants covered in the last wage 
investigation. The largest number of wage earners employed 
in any one month in the 91 establishments was 87,179 in October, 
1920. Thus approximately 36% of the wage earners reported 
by the 1919 Census of Manufactures for the electrical ma- 
chinery and apparatus industry are covered in this report. 
The proportion actually covered is even greater, as the Census 
includes establishments engaged in miscellaneous manufactur- 
ing that have not been included in this investigation. The 
geographical distribution within 18 states is as follows: 

California 3 Missouri. ....................... 1 

Connecticut. 7 New Hampshire. ................. 1 

Illinois 10 New Jersey 5 

Indiana 3 New York. 9 

Kentucky 1 Ohio. 13 

Maryland 1 Pennsylvania 13 

Massachusetts 12 Tennessee 1 

Michigan 5 Washington. .................... 1 

Minnesota 1 Wisconsin. ...................... 4 



Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, average hourly earn- 
ings of all wage earners were $.27. By October, 1920, they 
had risen 134% to $.632. The decline was 19.3% from the 
latter period up to January, 1922, at which time the average 
hourly earnings were $.510, an increase of 89% over July, 1914. 
The peak was reached in the fall of 1920, followed by a gradual 
decline through March, 1921, while increases occurred during 

59 



the next few months. But in August, 1921 a further wage re- 
duction occurred, of approximately 3 cents per hour, followed 
again by a further reduction in October, 1921, of approxi- 
mately 2 cents an hour. The general tendency in the year 

1921 was one of wage reductions. 

In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of male common labor 
were $.221. By November, 1920 they had increased 157% 
to $.568. The decline from -the latter period up to January, 

1922 was 28% to 1409. In July, 1914, the average hourly earn- 
ings of male skilled 'labor 'were $.296. By October, 1920, they had 
risen 137% to $.701 , and then declined 20% to $.561 from the lat- 
ter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914 the average 
hourly earnings of women were $.167. In June, 1920, they had 
risen 143% to $.406. The decline from this peak up to January, 
1922 amounted to 18%, the average earnings at the beginning 
of 1922 being $.333. By January, 1922, therefore, the average 
hourly earnings of these three groups had increased respectively 
85%, 90% and 99% over the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914, were $13.44. By October, 1920, they 
had increased 125% to $30.25. The decline from the latter period 
up to January, 1922 was 26.3%, at which time the average 
weekly earnings were $22.30, a net increase of 66% over July, 
1914. A general high level of weekly earnings was maintained 
through 1920. Beginning in March, 1922, severe reductions in 
weekly earnings occurred, due to reductions in both hourly 
rates and working hours. Weekly earnings continued to 
decrease throughout the rest of 1921, due to the same causes. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were Si 1.40. By October, 1920 they had increased 142% 
to $27.62. From the latter period up to January, 1922, they 
declined 35.7% to $17.76. In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $14.67. In October, 1920, 
they had reached $33.95, an increase of 131%, declining 27.3% 
to $24.67 from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In 
July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of women were $8.18. 
In November, 1920, they had increased 124% to $18.35. The 
decline from this peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 22.'5%, 
the average wage at the beginning of 1922 being $14.22. By 
January, 1922, therefore, the weekly earnings for these three 

60 



1914 



45 
40 
35 
3D 
£5 
2D 
15 
ID 
5 



Electrical Apparatus Manufacturing 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 





JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APH. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC. 



I92D 1921 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 



JULY 

1914 




JUN JUL AUG. SEP. OCT" NOV. Ul C. JAN. FEB. MAR APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OC T NQV. OEC . 

1320 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board; 
61 



Composite Payroll Data — Electrical Apparatus Manufacturing 





Number Wage 










Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Hours 


(All Wage Earners) 


One 
Week 


1914-22 

Establ. 

(63 
plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 

(91 

plants) 


Av. 
Week 

Per 
Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earinngs 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


40,983 




49.7 


53.9 


54.3 


$.270 


$13.44 


100 


100 


1920 




















June. . . 


68,091 


84,579 


47.2 


48.8 


49.0 


.613 


28.93 


227 


215 


July.... 


68,731 


85,632 


47.4 


48.7 


49.1 


.612 


28.97 


227 


216 


Aug... . 


67,650 


85,111 


46.9 


48.8 


48.7 


.620 


29.11 


230 


217 


Sept.... 


68,174 


85,928 


47.6 


49.2 


49.0 


.628 


29.86 


233 


222 


Oct 


69,218 


87,179 


47.9 


49.2 


49.0 


.632 


30.25 


234 


225 


Nov. . . . 


68,978 


85,928 


47.9 


48.8 


48.9 


.622 


29.80 


230 


222 


Dec... 


67,602 


83,235 


47.1 


48.3 


49.0 


.619 


29.17 


229 


217 


1921 




















Jan 


64,024 


77,554 


46.1 


47.9 


48.8 


.612 


28.21 


227 


210 


Feb.... 


57,030 


69,274 


45.9 


47.5 


48.7 


.590 


27.10 


219 


202 


Mar 


53,725 


65,137 


44.3 


47.4 


48.7 


.557 


24.68 


206 


184 


April. . . 


49,317 


60,160 


43.1 


47.5 


48.7 


.561 


24.22 


208 


180 


May. . . 


46,563 


56,865 


43.0 


47.1 


48.8 


.561 


24.13 


208 


180 


June. . . 


44,048 


53,990 


42.1 


47.1 


48.5 


.559 


23.53 


207 


175 


July*... 


41,655 


49,880 


41.1 


46.8 


48.5 


.560 


23.03 


207 


171 


Aug. . . . 


37,850 


47,885 


40.9 


45.1 


48.2 


.531 


21.73 


197 


162 


Sept. . . . 


37,153 


45,740 


41.0 


45.9 


48.4 


.532 


21.82 


197 


162 


Oct 


38,020 


45,435 


41.7 


46.7 


48.5 


.513 


21.41 


190 


159 


Nov.. . . 


37,525 


46,571 


42.1 


46.6 


48.6 


.509 


21.44 


189 


160 


Dec... 


38,312 


47,286 


43.8 


46.4 


48.5 


.510 


22.30 


189 


166 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 

groups had increased respectively 56%, 68% and 74% over the 
July, 1914 levels. 



Employment 



Total employment in the establishments covered declined 
44.1% from June, 1920 up to the beginning of 1922. The de- 
cline in the three groups during this period was as follows: 
male common labor 52.4%, male skilled labor 39.4%, and 
women 54.8%. The tendency during the depression period 
was to lay off common labor and women rather than skilled 
help. Employment underwent a steady decrease from the 
peak through October, 1921, while increases occurred in 
November and December, 1921. 

62 



Electrical Apparatus Manufacturing 



THOUSANDS 
90 



60 
70 
BO 
50 
40 
30 
20 
10 



JULY 

1914 



60 





NUMBER 


OF 


w 


AGE EARNERS 














































L 


A 



■■■ 


LL V 
914- 

••i 


/AGE 
21 E 

■ •■ 


EAR 
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\ 


\ 


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< 


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s, 


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& s 


*^ 


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•■■ ••« 






































— 






_\* 


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» 










































JHh 


-UNSK 


uec 




-r 


" 




::r 



JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AU& SEP OCT. NOV DEC . 

I9S0 I9EI 

AVERAGE HOURS OF WORK ' 



55 



50 



45 



40 



35 



3D 



E5L_ 

JULY 

1914 




muz 




NOMINAL WEEK 



JUN. JUL. AUB.3EP OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAP. APR.MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . 

I92D I9SI 



(National Industrial Conference Board) 

63 



Employment in identical establishments declined 6.5% 
between July, 1914 and the end of the year 1922. 

The decline in the number of women employed indicates a 
general movement of women to return to homes and other 
occupations from wartime employment. While the electrical 
manufacturing industry expanded tremendously between July, 
1914 and the general peak of 1920, this large increase was prac- 
tically offset by the decline during the period of industrial 
depression. The movement of the industry shows large reduc- 
tions in working forces, accompanied by part time operations, 
rather than severe reductions in wages. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 54.3 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. Following the general reduction in working hours during 
the war period, there was a decline to 49 hours in June, 1920. 
A general level was maintained between 48 and 49 hours up to 
January, 1922. 

The average hours of plant operation in July, 1914 were 53.9, 
The general level of approximately 49 hours was maintained 
during 1920, while a decline occurred at the beginning of 1921 
which continued through August. The last months showed 
a slight improvement. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline from 
49.7 hours in July, 1914 to 47.2 hours in June, 1920. The trend 
from June, 1920 closely followed that of plant activity. The 
depression period was reached in August, 1921, when the 
average actual week was reduced to 40.9 hours. The closing 
months of 1921, showed a continual increase in working hours. 

Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in electrical manufacturing 
shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $.51, or 89%, above the July, 1914 level of $.27. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $22.30, or 66% above die July, 1914 level of 
$13.44. 

3. The decline in hourly earnings from the peak was much 
slower than in many basic industries, though part-time opera- 
tions forced considerable reductions in weekly earnings. 

64 



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so so -* 1 co co CN 


T-H T-H ,-H T-H CN ^ 


CD 




t-h ■* co r~- vo co os 

t^ ^h rH oo so CO 0O 

i-^oo^so co r-^i-^so 
t^r^r^ooosO\ t^~ 

vo vo vo vo vo vo vo 


ON OO CN ON r-t t~> 
OO O ON co O y-t 
r^^^CN^CN^cO^ 

tjT oC so" co" t-T oC 

vo tJh t^ Tt< Tf co 


CO t> Th vo oo O 

t-h CN SO ON CO CN 
co so ON so CO so 
r~T vo" co" co" rjT TjT 
CO CO co co co CO 


Q 

w 

hh 

5 

VX 

55 

& 

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<! 


55 a 

0) >- 


3 

1 


5 


rh" r^ so o> cn osr^ 

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CN CN CN CN CN CN CN 


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3 

o 


s^> 


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CN CN CN CN CN <N CN 


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CN CN CN CN CN CN 


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ft 


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so r-- so t> t^- r^ vo 

CN CN CN CN CN CN CN 


oo r^ cn co o i— i 

CN CN CN CN CN CN 


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oooooor^t^t^ 


i? . 


5 


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vo vo vo SO SO SO vo 
vo vo vo vo vo vo vo 


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vo vo tj-i rj-i Tf -^ 


co vo r-l co t^> On 

CO CN CN O O O 






. IS )H 

> 3 3 
J<< +-' O 


SO 


r- 1 i— 1 SO SO CO O oo 

oo On oo oo On oo so 


46.5 
46.4 
44.9 
44.7 
44.1 
43.8 


O OO OO CN CN "+ 1 

CO CN CN CO CO CO 


co 


1 


co r^ tjh r~~ vo on i— i 
oo o so co r-~ CN ON 
so o oo o oo r^ cn 
,-T r f ^-T cn" i-T ^T ^-T 


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o"ocToo"r^ , r^ , scr 


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r^ vo co^co "^vo 

UO vo vo vo vo vo 


P! 
P. 


Q 

O 


0£~ 


5,05" 

«N 3 


^ £>£>< £ O fc Q 


1921 
Jan. . . 
Feb... 
Mar. . 
April . 
May. . 
June. . 


* . • • • . 

>- bfi £! J > u 

£>< £ O £ Q 



65 



4. The trend of the nominal week was dominated by the 
decline in employment and in plant activity. 

5. The total employment declined 44.1% from the peak 
in October, 1920 to the end of 1922. 

6. From the beginning of 1921 there was a continued de- 
pression in plant activity, the level being 46.4 hours at the 
close of 1921. In December, 1921 there was an indication of 
an increase in employment and working hours. 



66 



IRON AND STEEL MANUFACTURING 

Wage data for the iron and steel industry cover blast fur- 
naces and rolling mills, engaged in the manufacture of pig 
iron, wrought iron and rolled steel products. Schedules were 
received from 44 plants, 43 of which supplied information for 
the last wage investigation. The largest number of wage 
earners employed in any one month was 35,807 in October, 1920. 
The geographical distribution within eight states is as follows: 

Illinois. 3 New York 1 

Indiana 1 Ohio 10 

Michigan 2 Pennsylvania. .25 

New Jersey 1 Tennessee 1 

In iron and steel plants, the varying hours of work, irregular 
shifts, the mixture of piece, day and tonnage work, make the 
compilation of wage data showing actual hours or hourly earn- 
ings exceedingly difficult. For 36 of the 44 plants, sufficiently 
accurate information covering hours was received, and the 
compilation of the actual hours and hourly and weekly earnings 
has been made for these plants. Eight other plants furnished 
information covering only weekly earnings, and this material 
has been compiled in a separate section. In the general sum- 
mary chapter presenting a composite of all industries, the 
smaller group of 36 plants only has been used. 

An additional section has also been included giving a dis- 
cussion of weekly earnings covering several large plants which 
could not give information for earlier than June, 1921. As the 
size and coverage of these plants is representative, they have 
been included in this chapter, but not in the summary or com- 
posite tables. 

Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners in 36 plants were $.26. By No- 
vember, 1920, they had increased 180% to $.727. The decline 

67 



from the latter period up to January, 1922, amounted to 
37.3%, leaving the average hourly earnings at $.456 or 75% 
above July, 1914. The general high level of hourly earnings 
was maintained through 1920. The beginning of 1921 showed 
marked declines which continued throughout the year. The 
decline in hourly earnings has been more severe in iron and steel 
manufacturing than in any other industry covered in this 
investigation, except fertilizer manufacturing. 

The study shows that in July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male common labor were $.20. By November, 
1920, they had increased 194% to 1588, and declined 38.8% 
to $.36 from the latter period up to January, 1922. In July, 
1914, the average hourly earnings of male skilled labor were 
$.298. By November, 1920, they had increased 179% to $.831. 
The decline from this peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 
38.4%, the average earnings being $.512 at the latter period. 
By January, 1922, therefore, the average hourly earnings for 
these two groups had increased respectively 80% and 72% 
over the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of all wage earners in 44 plants were $13.97. By Aug- 
ust, 1920, they had increased 231% to $46.26. The decline 
from this point up to January, 1922 amounted to 50.3%, the 
average weekly earnings at the latter period being $23.01. 
Weekly earnings were well sustained through November, 1920, 
but a great decline occurred during 1921, due to the large re- 
duction in hourly rates and in working hours. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $11.42. By August, 1920, they had increased 198% 
to $34.06, and declined 47.1% to $18.03 from the latter period 
up to January, 1922. In July, 1914, the average weekly earn- 
ings of male skilled labor were $15.96. They rose 234% to 
$53.24 by August, 1920, and declined 52.1% from the latter 
period to $25.49 in January, 1922. By January, 1922, there- 
fore, the average weekly earnings of these two groups had in- 
creased respectively 58% and 60% over the July, 1914 levels. 

As stated in the introduction to this chapter, additional 
information was received from a few plants which had not 
previously cooperated with the Conference Board in furnishing 
wage information. These plants furnished classified weekly 

68 



Iron and Steel Manufacturing 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 




JULY 

1914 



I3ED 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

69 



Composite Payroll Data — Iron and Steel Manufacturing 



Period 



One 

Week 

In 



1914 

July 

1920 

June 

July 

Aug 

Sept 

Oct 

Nov 

Dec 

1921 

Jan 

Feb 

March.. . . 

April 

May 

June 

July* 

Aug 

Sept 

Oct 

Nov 

Dec 



Number Wage 

Earners 

Employed 



1914-22 

Establ. 

(28 

plants) 



14,523 



24,747 
21,637 
21,709 
21,934 
23,006 
22,229 
19,919 



18,086 
16,149 
15,924 
12,283 
12,503 
11,207 

7,344 
9,253 
10,719 
10,984 
12,339 
12,247 



1920-22 
Establ. 

(44 
plants) 



35,571 
33,225 
33,844 
34,298 
35,807 
34,721 
31,260 



28,356 
23,520 
23,854 
18,522 
20,071 
18,121 

12,548 
14,694 
15,939 
17,564 
19,089 
18,766 



Average Hours 



Av. 

Week 

Per 

Wage 

Earner 



53.9 



55.6 
57.3 
60.0 
58.0 
58.5 
56.5 
51.5 



49.8 
51.3 
47.1 
44.2 
44.5 
42.0 

37.0 
42.5 
45.4 
46.4 
40.8 
46.0 



Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation** 



111.4 



128.9 
140.3 
141.7 
138.5 
139.3 
137.4 
127.8 



128.7 
128.1 
123.4 
105.6 
112.9 
107.5 

113.1 
111.1 
114.1 
118.2 
113.0 
115.7 



Wages 
(All Wage Earners) 



Av. 

Hrly. 
Earn- 
ings 



$.260 



699 
,704 
713 
717 
.713 
.727 
,681 



.639 
.617 

.573 
.570 
.567 

.545 

.529 

.502 
.500 
.492 
.467 
.456 



Av. 
Wkly. 
Earn- 
ings** 



$13.97 



42.68 
44.54 
46.26 
44.36 
45.06 
43.16 
39.89 



34.42 
31.20 
30.01 
29.51 

26.22 
24.32 

22.86 
22.86 
23.46 
25.02 
21.90 
23.01 



Index Nos. 
Earnings 



Hrly. Wkly** 



100 



269 

271 
274 
276 
274 
280 
262 



246 
237 
220 
219 
218 
210 

203 
193 
192 
189 
180 
175 



100 



306 
319 
331 
318 
323 
309 
286 



246 
223 
215 
211 
188 
174 

164 
164 
168 
179 
157 
165 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 
**44 plants. 

payroll data, which have been compiled with the data covering 
44 plants and are given below. These data are included in 
order to give a slightly wider coverage than is afforded by the 
44 plants previously discussed. 





Common Labor 


Skilled Labor 


Composite 


Period 


Number 
Wage 
Earners 


Weekly 
Wages 


Number 
Wage 
Earners 


Weekly 

Wages 


Number 

Wage 
Earners 


Weekly 
Wages 


Plant 
Hours 


1921 
July 


6,776 
6,725 
6,926 
7,515 
8,211 
8,496 


$19.01 
18.57 
18,82 
18.73 
17.33 
17.59 


22,492 
24,240 
25,401 
27,318 
28,824 
28,240 


$22.13 
22.23 
22.22 
24.37 
22.25 
22.27 


29,268 
30,965 
32,327 
34,833 
37,035 
36,736 


$21.41 
21.44 
21.49 
23.15 
21.16 
21.19 


144.5 


Aug 


141.0 


Sept 


141.4 


Oct 


142.4 


Nov 


139.7 


Dec 


141.3 







70 



Iron and Steel Manufacturing 

NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS 



35 
30 










25 














/ 






'' 


ED 






/ 




15 
10 


4 










5 


















JULY 

1914 




JULY JUN. JUL A UG. SEP OCT. N0V_0EC. JAN. FE_B MAR APR MAY JUN JUL. AUG SEP OCT. NOV DEC . 

1914 I92D 1921 

AVERAGE HDURS DF WORK 




JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. N OV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV. DEC 

1920 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

71 



Employment 

Total employment decreased from June, 1920 to January, 
1922, 47.2%. The percentages of decline in the two groupss 
were as follows: male common labor, 50.7%; male skilled labor, 
45.3%. The effect of the industrial depression began to be 
felt in December, 1920, when a large decline in employment 
took place. The declines continued through July, 1921, but an 
increase occurred from that time through November, a slight 
decline again occurring in December. 

Employment decreased 15.7% in identical establishments 
between July, 1914 and the end of the year 1921. 

Hours 

The average hours of the nominal week cannot be calculated, 
as there is a great variety of standard hours in the iron and steel 
industry. Iron and steel manufacturing is primarily an industry 
oi continuous operation, the standard week of production being 
approximately 168 hours. The full productive week, however, 
generally ranges from 144 to 168 hours. 

In July, 1914, the average hours of plant operation were 111.4. 
This w r as a period of depression. In June, 1920, the hours of 
plant operation were 128.9, and there were still larger advances 
during the summer months of 1920. It was not until December, 
1920 that a decline took place, which continued throughout 
the year 1921. In December, 1921, the average hours of plant 
operation were 115.7, or 13.2 hours below the average in June, 
1920. 

The average week per wage earner in 36 plants was 53.9 hours 
in July, 1914, and increased in June, 1920 to 55.6. The aver- 
age week was well sustained through November, but beginning 
in December and continuing through 1921, much lower levels 
was maintained. In December, 1921, the average wage earner 
was working 46 hours per week, or 9.6 hours below the level 
of 55.6 hours in June, 1920. This reflects the large decline 
in working hours suffered by the wage earner during the de- 
pression period. 

Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in the iron and steel industry 
shows that: 

72 



OS 

C 

a 

P4 


Q 

w 

3 

w 

W 


Index 

Nos. 
Weeklj 
Earn- 
ings 




co <-h rr 1 r^ co to on 

O (N CO r- 1 CN O t^ 
CO CO CO CO CO CO CN 


i- 1 'f o >-o oo r^ 

CN CN CN CN i-h ,— ( 


OO MO O ^O CN O 
CO co MO r-> co MO 




. 3 fi CO 
> 0) C M 

<r< co rt c 


NO 
On 


cn i— h cn to co r-~ co 

iHH CO W) I/) lO Tf* ^ 


O O MO OO ON O 
^O CN ^f CN CO MO 


co MO MO MO t-h ON 
t-h OO tJh OO CN -rfi 




OO Tfi co •* OO MO 
CO CO CO CO CN CN 


CO "^ CO r~~ -HH CO 

CN CN CN CN CN CN 




to 

CO >h 




oo ■'f r^ oo i— i so oo 
CO CO CN ON SO O to 

cn" i-T i-T t-T cn" of oT 

CN CN CN CN CN CN i-h 


co r- cn o co oo 
r^~ mo co mo ^n io 

I-H O I— 1 ^H OO I— 1 

oo" wf w-T 1-4 cn" i— r 


O MO MO MO r~x CN 

MO OO o ^ CO ^h 
On^On_0^0 On co 

r-x" on t-T cn" cn" cn" 




Q 

w 

3 

w 
< 


Index 

Nos. 
Weekly 
Earn- 
ings 




w-) o oo CO 'O CO ON 
oo On On On On On f-» 
CN CN CN CN <N CN CN 


OO MO r-i «-0 MO t-h 
CO CN i— i ON ON OO 
CN CN CN i-h ,-1 ,-< 


LO CO MO Tfi ON OO 
SO SO SO SO -t 1 co 




> D fc. M 

<< co rt c 




O 0\ -O •* --, (N 'f 

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CO CO CO CO CO CO CO 


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r--- lo rti CN CN O 
CN CN CN CN CN CN 


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oo so o r-» o o 

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10 

III 

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oT cT cn" cn" co" cn" t-T 


i-h CO CN CN OO CO 

OO "J^ CN MO t-h mo 

1-* ^ r^ co^ cn^ on 

o" oo" oo" r-" r-T mo" 


OO OO CO OO CN Tf 
OO O CO CN co CN 
CO I^ON^co i-h o) 

■>f -^ "^ co"so"so" 




H 
< 

PL, 
<*> 


Q 
W 

J 
3 

w 

w 
< 


to a, 

O M 

£ s 

|w 


>> 

3 

CO 
CO 


<x0 


on ^o r^ vo vjd cn <j^ 

^O OO O ON ON ON CO 
CN CN CO CN CN CN CN 


O CO ^O TjH T-H CN 

NcNoor-^io 

CN CN T-l I-H T-H r-H 


CN ^H Tf ON tx. T-H 

CO ^ to co CN -hh 




>> 

3 

o 

X 




co r-» CO ■"*' CO On O 

vo ^o r-. r-, r- r~x ^o 

CN CN CN CN CN CN CN 


r-H T-H T-H CO O OO 

^ CO CN CN CN O 
CN CN CN CN CN CN 


to co ON t-h ON CN 

o on oo on rx r-- 

CN T-H T-H T-H M T-H 




Av. 

Weekly 
Earn- 
ings 


no 


O t> ^O i-h i-i oo O 

o r-. t— i co co i> r-~ 
co ^o on r-x. r^ vo r-~ 

^ Tfl Tfl "<+l Tfl Tf CO 


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t-h MO LO OO CO CN 


SO OO CO co O t-h 

O tO SO Tf* "HH SO 




>-o CO on r-x t^ 'HH 
CO CO CN CN CN CN 


i-h CN t}h to O CN 
CN CN CN CN CN CN 




• T^ c to 

<; o os c 


^3. 


co r-x tjh \o co i-h -^ 
oo on i— 1 1— 1 1-4 co r-x 
r^. r- oo oo oo oo r-x 


oo jx- o mo r~x o 

t-h OO MO MO co CN 
r- MO MO MO MO MO 


t-h O CN ON CN CN 
t-h oo so SO CO t-h 
SO co co co co co 










."3 2 

>32 




on ^ Tf o cn co r-- 

Tf r^- o oo oo \o oo 
ur» >-o ^o >-o W"i >-o ^f 


OCNt^OOh-cN 


Th ON On oo rfi cn 




ON T-H Tf T-H T-H ON 
-^ CO Tfl Tt< Tfl CO 


■^QOCO^OOtJh 

co co ^r 1 ^ co ^ 




to 

CO >H 

if 2 


j 


oo oo vD CN tF co ON 
SO oo oo OO TF t~- w-i 

CO VD VO^OO^CO^VO^CN^ 

tjT t-T t-T r-T cn" t-T o" 


I~x CN CN ON CO t-h 

cxiiHO^-too 
Tt^r^r^Tr 1 o oo 
on" oo" oo"Mo"rx"co" 


r>- CO CN CN CN CN 

to co Tf CN SO O 

thoo on oo co co 

"^"co"so"so"r--"r^"' 




Q 

3 

w 
a; 

w 
< 


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>> 

3 

CO 
CO 




vo cn -"t 1 oo co r-x cn 

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CN CO CO CO CO CO CN 


ON co -^ O -^ CO 

■* co i-h O O ON 
CN CN CN CN CN t-h 


t-h SO "* r~x T-H rjn 

so r^- t~x. MO co so 




3 

o 


Qn 
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w-i r^ t^- o on -<f on 

OO OO OO ON OO ON OO 
CN CN CN CN CN CN CN 


r~x co t-h t-h o co 

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CN CN CN CN CN CN 


mo r-- mo ^ t-h o 

t-h ON ON OO OO OO 

CN) T-H ^H T-H T-H T-H 




> aJ ^ M 


£2 


u-> OO O CO ^O CN CO 

CN J> CN w-) o ""f r~x 

CN CN -^ CO "^ CO i— i 
CO co co CO co CO co 


O T-H T-H T-H Tf ON 

i-h MO CO OO CN t-h 


rr 1 OO t-h to CO MO 

to T-H ON T-H Tfi OO 




r-- co co i-h cn i-h 

CN CN CN CN CN CN 


r^ on oo oo so r-x 




."C C to 
> 3 u M 

«|S- S 


Co 


O "f ""f ON oo oo oo 

r- r^ r- r^ t^ oo r~- 

lO IT) U^ l^> IT) VO VO 


CO ON t-h CN © co 
CO O MO SO MO MD 

CO CO Tfl Tf ^f "*• 


THitcNoOtNO 
CO ON ON so so so 
rf CO CO CO CO co 


CN 

d 






n 




Mi 


SO i—i '- r > ON ON OO ON 

\o r-- On r~x oo mo Tf 

uo u-i u-i u-> U^ >-0 co 


OO rr 1 co CN rfi MO 


l> f-~ CO CO co SO 


,2 


o o o r-» oo co 

CO CO CO iHH "^i t^i 


O OO OO ON to ON 
■^T 1 "vT ^ ^ "^t 1 "^ 


o 

-a 


5° 

CU Ih 




vo r~- co <N oo co mo 

r- O ON MD ^O ON o 
ON w-> in vo^0 n ^0 4 '~i i 

cxTocToo OO ON oo oo 


r-x r-. cn mo i> co 

votxiHiH'trx 

oo r^o ho mo^ 

MO "-O SO >-0 co rfi 


OO T^ ON C-4 OO ON 
CO "^ SO CO co i-h 

ON^CO^co OO ON ON 

cn" co" co" co" co" co" 


Ih 

C 

o 

* 




WO 


si 


a 


l— » 




<\l • • U • JH r>» « 


* . • • . . 

>- M tv -m > u 
3 3 cu « O « 



73 



1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at $.456 or 75% above the 1914 level of $.26. ' 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at $23.01 or 65% above the July, 1914 level' of 
$13.97. 

3. Wage reductions from the peak, of 37.3% in hourly 
earnings and 50.3% in weekly earnings, were far above the 
average found in other industries in this investigation. 
This was primarily due to the fact that the iron and steel 
industry was more directly affected by the industrial depression 
than any other manufacturing group. 

4. Further effect of the industrial depression was seen in 
the decline of 47.2% in employment between June, 1920 and 
January, 1922. In December, 1921, the average hours of plant 
operation were 13.2 hours below the level for June, 1920. In 
December, 1921, the average wage earner was working 9.6 
hours less than in June, 1920. 

5. The trough or depression period occurred in the middle 
of the summer of 1921, and while there was some improvement 
before the end of the year 1921, conditions in the iron and steel 
industry did not give promise of a rapid return to normal con- 
ditions of employment, production, or working hours. 



74 



VI 

COTTON MANUFACTURING 
A. North 

In considering wages in the cotton industry the differences 
between manufacturing and wage earning conditions in the 
northern and the southern mills must be borne in mind. In the 
southern mills company houses and other facilities usually are 
provided for the workers at nominal prices. This must be 
taken into account in measuring wages. In some of the nor- 
thern mills working hours are limited by law, while such re- 
strictions are not so general in the southern mills. There are 
also other differences in manufacturing conditions which make 
separate treatment of the two branches of the industry 
necessary. 

The northern cotton mill wage investigation was confined 
to establishments engaged in spinning and weaving and 
finishing of cotton fabrics. Returns were received from 61 
plants, all of which supplied material for the last wage investi- 
gation. The highest number of wage earners employed in any 
one month in the 61 establishments was 44,653 in June, 1920. 
Women were employed in all. of the establishments. The 
geographical distribution within eight states is as follows: 

Connecticut. . 5 New Hampshire. ................. 6 

Illinois 1 New York. 4 

Maine. 3 Pennsylvania. 5 

Massachusetts 28 Rhode Island 8 



Wages 

(a) Hourly Earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.171. By June, 1920, they 
had increased 212% to $.533. The decline from the latter 
period up to January, 1922 was 23.6%, leaving the average 

75 



hourly earnings at that time $.407, an increase of 138% over 
July, 1914. During 1920 there was only a slight decline in 
hourly earnings. At the beginning of 1921 there was ar« aver- 
age reduction of almost 10 cents an hour. The decline, however, 
during the remainder of 1921 has been moderate and gradual. 

In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.166. By October, 1920, they had increased 196% 
to $.491. The decline from the latter period up to January 
1922 was 24.8% to $.369. In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $.193. By June, 1920, they 
had increased 217% to $.612 and declined 21.9% to $.478 from 
the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, 
the average hourly earnings of women were $.150. By June, 
1920, they had increased 215% to $.473. The decline from this 
peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 24.5%, the average 
earnings at the beginning of 1922 being $.357. By January, 
1922, therefore, the average hourly earnings of these three 
groups had increased respectively 122%, 148% and 138% over 
the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914, were $8.90. By June, 1920, they had 
increased 191% to $25.94. The decline from the latter period 
up to January, 1922 was 28.3%, leaving the average weekly 
earnings at $18.59, an increase of 109% over July, 1914. The 
decline was gradual through September, 1920. Beginning in 
October, due to extensive reductions in working hours, weekly 
earnings began to decrease rapidly. This movement became 
very marked in January, 1921, when wide reductions in hourly 
rates were made. Except for a temporary decline in Apri , 
the succeeding months showed a steady increase in weekly 
earnings due to longer working hours, although hourly rates 
continued to. decline. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $8.85. By June, 1920, they had increased 185% 

76 



CCMTB 
PCRMOl 
!00 

90 
BO 
70 
60 
50 
40 
30 
20 
10 




Cotton Manufacturing — (North) 
AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 



MEN-SKILLED 
ALL WAGE FABNERS 



JULY 

1914 

DOLLARS 
PER WEEK 

50 



~3f^^2i*|jj^ 



JUN.JUL. AUG. SEE OCT. NOV. 




1320 1321 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 



45 
40 
35 
30 
25 
20 
15 
10 
5 




JULY 

1914 




JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT: NOV. DE C. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AU G. SEP OCT. NOV DEC 



1920 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

77 



Composite Payroll Data — Cotton Manufacturing — {North) 





Number Wage 




Wages 
(All Wage Earner 




Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Hours 





One 
Week 


1914-22 
Establ. 

(53 
plants) 


1920-22 
Establ. 

(61 
plants) 


Av. 
Week 

Per 
Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


3,5,785 




52.0 


53.5 


55.8 


$.171 


$8.90 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


36,548 


44,653 


48.7 


49.1 


48.8 


.533 


25.94 


312 


291 


July.... 


36,065 


44,225 


48.4 


49.3 


48.9 


.527 


25.51 


308 


287 


Aug.... 


34,087 


42,059 


47.6 


48.6 


48.3 


.524 


24.92 


306 


280 


Sept 


34,007 


41,876 


46.6 


48.3 


48.6 


.525 


24.48 


307 


275 


Oct 


29,296 


37,180 


43.4 


43.8 


48.6 


.528 


22.93 


309 


258 


Nov 


25,028 


33,006 


37.4 


37.6 


48.9 


.527 


19.74 


308 


222 


Dec.... 


23,737 


31,351 


34.4 


34.7 


48.6 


.528 


18.16 


309 


204 


1921 




















Jan 


25,840 


32,949 


37.7 


38.3 


48.9 


.430 


16.21 


251 


182 


Feb.... 


27,827 


35,091 


40.7 


40.9 


48.3 


.424 


17.26 


248 


194 


March.. 


28,124 


35,481 


40.8 


41.7 


48.7 


.424 


17.32 


248 


195 


April . . . 


27,290 


34,760 


39.9 


39.5 


48.9 


.425 


16.94 


249 


190 


May . . . 


29,554 


37,221 


43.9 


43.8 


48.9 


.418 


18.32 


244 


206 


June . . . 


30,192 


37,741 


44.2 


44.3 


49.0 


.414 


18.29 


242 


206 


July*... 


34,054 


36,875 


44.5 


45.0 


48.9 


.413 


18.35 


242 


206 


Aug.... 


34,609 


37,923 


45.3 


45.8 


48.9 


.407 


18.45 


238 


207 


Sept.... 


35,449 


38,975 


46.1 


47.6 


48.7 


.410 


18.90 


240 


212 


Oct 


36,827 


40,752 


46.8 


46.8 


48.7 


.408 


19.08 


239 


214 


Nov.. . . 


37,262 


41,302 


46.8 


46.5 


48.7 


.409 


19.14 


239 


215 


Dec ... . 


36,699 


40,660 


45.7 


45.9 


48.9 


.407 


18.59 


238 


209 



'See Introduction, p. 2. 



to $25.22. From the latter period up to January, 1922, they 
declined 31.2% to $17.36. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $10.21. To June, 1920, they 
increased 194% to $30.03 and from the latter period up to the 
beginning of 1922 declined 25.6% to $22.33. In July, 1914, the 
average weekly earnings of women were $7.59. By June, 1920, 
they had increased 194% to $22.31. The decline from this peak 
up to January, 1922 amounted to 29.1%, the average earnings 
at the beginning of 1922 being $15.82. By January, 1922, 
therefore, the average weekly earnings for these three groups 
had increased respectively 96% y 119% and 108% over the 
July, 1914 levels. 

78 



Cotton Manufacturing — (North) 
NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS 




JULY 

1914 



isej 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

79 



Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered decreased 
8.9% from June, 1920 up to the beginning of January, 1922. 
During this period employment of common labor increased 8.4% 
while that of male skilled labor declined 15.8% and women 
8.4%. The year 1921 was marked by a steady increase in 
employment. 

Employment in identical establishments between July, 1914, 
and the end of the year 1921 increased 2.6%. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 55.8 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. In June, 1920, they had been reduced to 48.8, and a 
general level of from 48-49 hours was maintained up to January, 
1922. The influence of legislation requiring the 48-hour week 
is partially responsible for the practically stationary level of 
the nominal week. 

The average hours of plant operation decreased from 53.5 
in July, 1914, to 49.1 in June, 1920. Unquestionably the large 
decrease in hours during this period is to be accounted for mainly 
by the enactment in Massachusetts in 1919 of the 48-hour 
work week for women. The decline of plant activity became 
marked in October, 1920, and reached the depression point for 
the next three months. The year 1921 was marked by a 
steady increase to more normal hours of productive activity. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline from 
52 hours to 48.7 hours in June, 1920. The trend of hours showed 
a gradual decline through the summer of 1920, marked depres- 
sion during the winter, followed by revival in 1921. 

Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in northern cotton mills shows 
that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $.407, or 138% above the July, 1914 level of $.171. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $18.59, or 109% above the July, 1914 level of 
$8.90. 

80 



Z 
H 

O 


If 

x & 


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Av. 
Weekly 
Earn- 
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53 


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Av. 
Hourly 
Earn- 
ings 


2? 


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Weekly 
Earn- 
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22 


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r^t^oooooot^ 


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Hourly 
Earn- 
ings 


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NO 
*•> 

«*3. 


no oo oo on t-h r^- cn 
oo oo oo r» on oo oo 


in in r-^ t-h o co 

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c> • '. '. • • '■ '. 
i — ii — i<C! co O Z Q 


1921 

Jan. . . 
Feb... 
Mar. . 
April . 
May. . 
June. . 


* . • • . . 

j>> bf) q- +J > o 

r-%< CO O Z Q 



81 



3. The percentages of decline from the peak of hourly 
and weekly earnings were larger than in many other basic 
industries. 

4. Employment declined 8.9% from June, 1920 up to the 
beginning of 1922. 

5. The industry showed a decline during the last half of 
1920, marked depression during the winter of 1920-21, and a 
generally sustained recovery throughout 1921. Early readjust- 
ment brought the industry to a better condition at the end of 
1921 than was found in many other basic industries. 



82 



B. South 

The wage investigation among cotton manufacturing plants 
in the southern states, as in the northern cotton mills, was 
confined to establishments engaged in spinning and weaving 
and finishing of cotton fabrics. The geographical distribution 
among 10 southern states is as follows: 

Alabama 2 North Carolina 1 

Georgia. 6 South Carolina 12 

Kentucky . 1 Tennessee 3 

Mississippi 1 Texas . . . 2 

Maryland. 2 Virginia 2 

Returns were received from 32 plants, 31 of which supplied 
material for the last wage investigation. The largest number 
of wage earners employed in any one month was 16,083 in De- 
cember, 1921. Women were employed in all of the establish- 
ments. 

Any comparison of wages in northern and southern cotton 
mills must take into consideration the differences in conditions 
in the two sections of the country. In the average southern 
cotton mill town, company houses and accompanying facilities 
are usually provided by the operators, at a nominal price, while 
in northern cotton manufacturing centers, such provisions are 
generally not made. Furthermore, owing to the absence of 
legal restrictions, hours of work are generally longer in the 
southern than in the northern mills. 



Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were J. 128. By October, 1921, 
they had risen 225% to $.416. They declined 30.5% from the 
latter period up to January, 1922, at which time the average 
hourly earnings were $.289, an increase of 126% over July, 
1914. A general high level of hourly earnings was maintained 
through November, 1920, followed by a reduction of 5 cents per 
hour in December. The year 1921 was marked by gradual 

83 



reductions throughout the year, amounting to 5 cents. Indica- 
tions pointed to slightly increased hourly earnings at the close 
of 1921. 

In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.095. In September, 1920, they had increased 
246% to $.329. From the latter period up to January, 1922 
they declined 24% to $.250. In July, 1914, the average 
hourly earnings of male skilled labor were $.145. By October, 
1920, they had increased 239% to $.492, and then declined 
34.8% to $.321 from the latter period up to the beginning of 
1922. In July, 1914 average hourly earnings of women were 
$.117. In October, 1920, they had reached $.348, an increase 
of 197%. The decline from this peak up to January, 1922, 
amounted to 25.6%, the average hourly earnings at the begin- 
ning of 1922 being $.259. By January, 1922, therefore, the 
average hourly earnings for these three groups had increased 
respectively 163%, 121%, and 121%. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were $7.27. By July, 1920, they 
had increased 193% to $21.28. The decline amounted to 
27.2% from the latter period up to January, 1922, at which 
time the average weekly earnings were $15.50, a net increase 
of 113% over July, 1914. The trend of weekly earnings shows 
moderate declines from November, 1920, with a sharp reduction 
occurring in December, amounting to $2.62, or 13.4%. The 
year 1921 was marked by further reductions through June. 
Beginning in July, and extending to the end of the year, there 
was a constant increase in weekly earnings due to longer work- 
ing hours. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $5.57. By September, 1920 they had increased 213% 
to $17.41, then declining 22.6% to $13.48 from the latter period 
up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $8.22. By September, 1920 
they reached $25.47, an increase of 210%, and then declined 
30% to $17.83 from the latter period up to the beginning of 
1922. In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of women were 
$6.46. In July, 1920, they had reached $17.28, an increase of 
167%. The decline from this peak up to January, 1922 
amounted to 23.7%, the average earnings at the beginning of 

84 



CENTS 

PER HOUR 

IDD 



9D 
BO 
7D 
EO 
50 
40 
30 
£0 
10 



DOLLARS 
PER WEEK 

50 



45 
40 
35 
30 
S5 
20 
15 
10 
5 



JULY 

1914 



Cotton Manufacturing — (South) 



AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 








"^^fet 



JUN. JUL. MJB. SEP DCT. NOV. DEC JAN. FEB. MAB. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT NOV. DEC . 

I92D 1921 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 





I32D 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

85 



Composite Payroll Data — Cotton Manufacturing — (South) 





Number Wage 












Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Ho 


urs 


Wages 
(All Wage Earners) 


One 

Week 
In 


1914-22 
Establ. 

(24 
plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 

(32 
plants) 


Av. 

Week 

Per 

Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 
Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


10,977 




56.6 


58.8 


59.2 


$.128 


$7.27 


100 


100 


1920 




















June. . . 


11,847 


14,326 


53.0 


54.8 


55.0 


.388 


20.56 


303 


283 


July.... 


11,861 


14,363 


53.2 


54.2 


55.0 


.400 


21.28 


313 


293 


Aug. . . . 


11,962 


14,807 


50.4 


54.6 


55.0 


.402 


20.27 


314 


279 


Sept. . . . 


11,747 


14,705 


50.5 


53.8 


55.1 


.412 


20.82 


322 


286 


Oct 


11,001 


13,818 


48.1 


50.9 


54.6 


.416 


19.99 


325 


275 


Nov. . . . 


10,982 


13,494 


47.9 


50.4 


54.9 


.409 


19.56 


320 


269 


Dec. ... 


10,728 


13,115 


48.1 


50.0 


54.5 


.352 


16.94 


275 


233 


1921 




















Jan 


10,453 


12,483 


50.9 


51.9 


54.2 


.330 


16.82 


258 


231 


Feb ... . 


11,288 


13,105 


51.2 


52.4 


54.6 


.323 


16.54 


252 


228 


March.. 


11,211 


13,158 


50.6 


51.7 


54.7 


.313 


15.81 


244 


217 


April. . . 


11,186 


12,994 


49.9 


51.0 


54.7 


.302 


15.06 


236 


207 


May. . . 


11,142 


13,250 


51.6 


52.1 


54.7 


.286 


14.76 


223 


203 


June. . . 


11,571 


13,603 


51.4 


52.3 


54.7 


.280 


14.37 


219 


198 


July*... 


12,512 


14,443 


51.4 


53.3 


54.7 


.284 


14.62 


222 


201 


Aug.... 


12,237 


14,250 


51.5 


53.3 


54.6 


.281 


14.48 


220 


199 


Sept 


13,286 


15,305 


53.0 


54.6 


54.7 


.280 


14.84 


219 


204 


Oct 


13,418 


15,632 


52.7 


54.3 


54.6 


.284 


14.97 


222 


206 


Nov.. . . 


13,443 


15,806 


53.8 


54.6 


54.6 


.287 


15.47 


224 


213 


Dec... 


13,716 


16,083 


53.6 


54.2 


54.6 


.289 


15.50 


226 


213 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 

1922 being $13.19. By January, 1922, therefore, the average 
weekly earnings for these three groups had increased respec- 
tively 142%, 117% and 104% over July, 1914. 



Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered increased 
approximately 12.3% from June, 1920 up to the beginning of 
1922. The last half of 1921 has shown a continuous increase in 
employment. During the period from June, 1920 to January, 
1922, employment of male common labor increased 34.3%, 
male skilled labor 10.4%, and of women 7.2%. 

Employment in identical establishments between July, 1914 
and the end of the year 1921 increased 25%. 

86 



THOUSANDS 
IB 



Cotton Manufacturing — (South) 

NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS 



JULY 

1914 



JULY 

1914 




JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SLR OCT. NOV DEC . 

1320 I9EI 



uu 






55 




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50 










45 










40 










35 










3D 










*?5 









AVERAGE HOURS 


OF WORK 
































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\ 




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DP 

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ACTUAL WEE 


K P 


iR 








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JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . 

1320 I9SI 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

87 



Hours 

In July, 1914, 59.2 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. By June, 1920, the hours had declined to 55 per week. 
In December, 1920 they had been reduced still further to 54.5 
hours, and the general level of slightly more than 54^ hours, 
with the exception of January, was maintained during 1921. 

The average hours of plant operation in July, 1914 were 58.8. 
In June, 1920, they had declined to 54.8. The industrial de- 
pression began to take effect in October, and continued through- 
out the remaining months of 1920. The first half of 1921 
showed marked improvement in plant activity, while the latter 
half of 1921 showed a steady increase in plant hours, reflecting 
an approach to normal conditions of production. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline 
from 56.6 hours in 1914, to 53 hours in June, 1920. The decline 
in actual hours began in August and continued throughout the 
closing months of 1920. The beginning of 1921, however, 
showed marked stimulation in working hours. The increase in 
the average week per wage earner during the last half of 1921 
had a marked effect upon weekly earnings, so that the average 
earnings of employees in southern cotton manufacturing steadily 
increased. The early wage reductions during 1920 in this 
industry undoubtedly had the effect of stabilizing wages sooner 
than in many basic industries. 

Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in the cotton manufacturing 
industry in southern mills shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at $.289, or 126% above the July, 1914 level of $.128. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at $15.50, or 113% above the July, 1914 level of 

$7.27. 

3. The decline in both hourly and weekly wages from the 
peak was more extensive than in many basic industries, but 
the increase received between 1914 and the peak of 1920 left 
the average wage earner comparatively well off at the beginning 
of 1922. 



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4. There was an increase of 12.3% in employment between 
June, 1920 and the beginning of 1922, the last six months 
of 1921 showing a steady addition to working forces. 

5. The increase in working hours during the last half of 
1921 increased weekly earnings, while hourly earnings remained 
practically stationary. 

6. The situation at the close of 1921 indicated an approach 
to normal conditions of wages, employment and production. 



90 



VII 

WOOL MANUFACTURING 

Wage data for this industry were secured from establish- 
ments engaged in the spinning of woolen and worsted yarns 
and in weaving and finishing woolen and worsted fabrics. 
Returns were received from 70 establishments, 64 of which fur- 
nished information for the last wage investigation. The largest 
number of wage earners employed in any one month in the 70 
establishments was 44,517 in October, 1921. Thus, over 22% 
of the wage earners reported by the 1919 Census of Manufac- 
tures for the wool industry are covered in this report. The 
geographical distribution within 16 states is as follows: 



California 1 New Hampshire 5 

Connecticut 6 New Jersey 4 

Illinois 2 New York 3 

Iowa 1 Ohio 1 

Maine 4 Pennsylvania 7 

Maryland 1 Rhode Island 7 

Massachusetts 25 Vermont 1 

Minnesota 1 West Virginia 1 



Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings oi all wage earners were $.185. By June, 1920, they had 
increased 209% to $.571. The decline was 20.3% from the 
latter period up to January, 1922, at which time the average 
hourly earnings were $.455, an increase of 146% over July, 1914. 
The period from June, 1920 up to January, 1922 showed a 
gradual decline from month to month, a wage cut of 6 cents per 
hour occurring in January, 1921, when the entire industry was 
going through a readjustment period. Another large reduction 
occurred in February, 1921. The last six months of 1921 were 
characterized by a practically stable condition. 

91 



In July, 1914 the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.187. By November, 1920, they had increased 
196% to $.553, and declined 24.8% to $.416 from the latter 
period up to January, 1922. In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $.211. By October, 1920, 
they had risen 211%, to $.657 and declined 18.7% to S.534 from 
the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, 
the average hourly earnings of women were S.159. In June, 
1920, they had risen 211% to $.494. The decline from this peak 
up to January, 1922 amounted to 21.7%, the average earnings 
at the beginning of 1922 being $.387. By January, 1922, there- 
fore, the average hourly earnings of these three groups had 
increased respectively 122%, 153% and 143% over the July, 
1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were $9.77. By June, 1920, they had 
increased 160% to $25.46. The decline was 17.2% from the 
latter period up to January, 1922, at which time the average 
weekly earnings were $21.09, a net increase of 116% over July, 
1914. The trend of weekly earnings was steadily downward 
from the peak through January, 1921. A stagnant period fol- 
lowed in the succeeding months, while the last half of 1921 was 
characterized by a practically stable level of weekly earnings 
of approximately $21.50 per week. Weekly earnings have been 
well sustained on account of the fairly regular working hours, 
even though there have been considerable wage reductions. 

In July, 1914 the average weekly earnings of ?nale common 
labor were $9.75. By October, 1920, they had increased 154% to 
$24.75. From the latter period up to January, 1922, they 
declined 19.4%, to $19.94. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $11,48. By June, 1920, they 
had reached $30.51, an increase of 166%, and declined 17.2% 
to $25.27 from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. 
In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of women were $8.18. 
By June, 1920, they had increased 159% to $21.21. The decline 
from this peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 17.9%, the 
average wage at the beginning of 1922 being $17.41. By Janu- 
ary, 1922, therefore, the weekly earnings for these three groups 
had increased respectively 105%, 120% and 113% over the 
July, 1914 levels. 

92 



Wool Manufacturing 



CENTS 
PER HOUR 




AVERAGE HOURLY 


EARNINGS 














1 00 




































(jv) 




au 










































tiU 












































/ 

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MEN-SKILLED 

TTTT- 


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SK»I 


ALL WAGE EARNERS 


> 




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WOMEN *■ 


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40 
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JL 

13 

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50 
45 
40 
35 
30 
25 


LY 

14 

s 

EK 


JUN.JUL.AUG. SER OCT. NDV. D 


:C. JAN. FEB. MAR. A . MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SET T. NOV. DEC. 


92D 1921 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 




































































































































































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V 




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j 


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JUN. JUL. 


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1914 


132 


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Composite Payroll Data — Wool Manufacturing 



Period 



One 

Week 
In 



1914 
July... 

1920 
June. 
July.. 
Aug.. 
Sept. 
Oct.. 
Nov. . 
Dec. 

1921 
Jan.... 
Feb... 
March. 
April . . 
May. . 
June. . 

July*.. 
Aug... 
Sept... 
Oct.... 
Nov.. . 
Dec... 



Number Wage 

Earners 

Employed 



1914-21 
Establ. 

(56 
plants) 



36,891 



40,116 
38,969 
36,628 
37,018 
36,811 
35,001 
33,906 



33,707 
35,328 
35,271 
38,457 
40,698 
41,651 

41,534 
41,409 
41,653 
41,999 
41,554 
40,646 



Total All 
Establ. 

(70 
plants) 



42,546 
41,192 
38,684 
39,085 
38,933 
36,575 
35,527 



34,911 
37,149 
37,288 
40,854 
43,195 
44,385 

43,991 
43,822 
44,112 
44,517 
44,071 
43,124 



Average Hours 



Av. 

Week 

Per 

Wage 
Earner 



52.8 



44.6 
43.6 
43.7 
43.3 
43.2 
40.9 
40.6 



42.8 
45.4 
45.2 
45.8 
47.1 
47.5 

47.3 
47.0 
47.5 
47.6 
46.2 
46.3 



Av 

Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 



53.3 



45.2 
45.1 
44.5 
44.5 
44.5 
41.6 
41.3 



44.9 
47.3 
47.1 
47.4 
48.6 
48.6 

48.7 
48.2 
48.2 
48.5 
47.9 
47.5 



Nomi- 
nal 
Week 



53.6 



48.3 
48.5 
48.5 
48.5 
48.7 
48.5 
48.4 



48.4 
48.5 
48.6 
48.5 
48.9 
49.0 

48.9 
48.7 
48.8 
49.0 
48.9 
48.7 



Wages 
(All Wage Earners) 



Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 



$.185 



571 
566 
569 
568 
566 
562 
555 



.493 
.465 
.463 
.460 
.467 
.469 

,456 
.457 
459 
458 
456 
.455 



Av. 

Wkly. 
Earn- 
ings 



$9.77 



25.46 
24.67 
24.88 
24.58 
24.46 
22.98 
22.52 



21.08 
21.13 
20.94 
21.07 
22.01 
22.26 

21.58 
21.46 
21.78 
21.82 
21.06 
21.09 



Index Nos. 
Earnings 



Hrly. 


Wkly. 


100 


100 


309 


260 


306 


252 


308 


254 


307 


251 


306 


250 


304 


235 


300 


230 


266 


215 


251 


216 


250 


214 


249 


215 


252 


225 


253 


228 


246 


221 


247 


220 


248 


223 


248 


223 


246 


216 


246 


216 



''See Introduction, p. 2. 



Employment 



Total employment in the establishments covered increased 
1.4% from June, 1920 up to the beginning of January, 1922. 
The percentages of increase for the three groups during this 
period were as follows: male common labor, 9.5%; male skilled 
labor, 1.9%; women, 1%. The trend of employment after the 
beginning of 1921 has shown a gradual rise. 

Employment in identical establishments increased 10.2% 
between July, 1914 and the end of the year 1921. 



Hours 

In July, 1914, 53.6 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. By June, 1920 the nominal week had declined to 48.3 

94 



Wool Manufacturing 



THOUSANDS 

45 



40 
35 
30 
85 
SO 
15 
10 



JULY 

1914 



^\ 



60 



55 



50 



45 



40 



35 



30 



25 

JULY 

1314 




NUM 




BER DF WAGE EARNERS 






* f-V^-QNSKJLJJiS 



II 



y 



s 



® 



JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAP.. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV DEC . 

I3SD I9EI 





AVERAGE HQU 


RS 


OFWOI 


?K 






















































































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JUN. JUL. AUB. 3D? OCT. NOV DEC. JAM FEB. MAP. APR.MAYJUN. JUL. AUB.3EP. OCT. NOV. PCX . 

I92Q 192* 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

95 



hours, and a general level of between 48 and 49 hours was 
maintained throughout 1920-1921. 

The average hours of plant operation decreased from 53.3 in 
July, 1914, to 45.2 hours in July, 1920. The next months 
showed slight declines, the decrease going as low as 41.3 hours 
in December, 1920. Beginning in January, 1921, there was a 
continued increase in plant activity which was well maintained 
through October. In November and December a slight decline 
in productive activity occurred. The chart showing the hours 
of plant operation reflects very closely the condition of the indus- 
try during the past months. The readjustment caused by defla- 
tion in prices of raw materials led to a resumption of normal 
plant activity early in 1921. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline from 
52.8 hours in July, 1914 to 44.6 hours in June, 1920. The re- 
sumption of activity beginning in February caused an increase 
in working hours so that in June, 1921 the average wage 
earner was working almost 7 hours longer than at the close of 
1920. On the whole, working hours were well sustained during 
the closing months of 1921. 

Conclusion 

The readjustment in the wool industry began in the early 
spring months of 1920. This period was not covered by the 
present report, but it is presumed that the peak in June, 1920, 
shown in this study, reflects approximately the same general 
peak for the whole industry. The general course of wages in 
the year and a half covered showed a gradual tendency down- 
ward. The decline in weekly earnings was not so extensive as 
in hourly earnings, due to the fact that longer working hours 
helped to maintain the weekly pay of the average employee. 

The study of wages and hours in wool manufacturing shows 
that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at $.455 or 146% above the July, 1914 level of $.185. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $21.09 or 116% above the July, 1914 level of 

$9.77. 

96 



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1921 
Jan. . 
Feb.. 
Mar. 
April 
May. 
June. 


-:«■ . • • • . 
>* bfl o, -J ^ o 

i— 1 <coOZQ 



97 



3. Wage reductions from the peak, of 20.3% in hourly earn- 
ings and of 17.2% in weekly earnings, were in general accord 
with the reductions in many basic industries. 

4. Earlier liquidation in prices and wages resulted in 
earlier resumption of productive activity. 

5. An increase of 1.4% in employment from June, 1920, 
to the beginning of 1922, as well as the increase of 5.7 working 
hours between the close of 1921 and the beginning of 1922, 
was indicative of a return to normal conditions of production. 



98 



VIII 

SILK MANUFACTURING 

The data for this industry cover establishments engaged in 
silk throwing, spinning, weaving and finishing of silk fabrics. 
Returns were received from 72 plants, 67 of which supplied 
material for the last wage investigation. The largest number 
of wage earners employed in any one month in the 72 establish- 
ments was 24,646 in September, 1921. Thus, approximately 
18% of the wage earners reported by the 1919 Census of Manu- 
factures for the silk industry are covered in this report. Returns 
came from the centers of silk manufacturing, mainly concen- 
trated in the eastern states, the geographical distribution being 
as follows: 

Connecticut 8 New York 8 

Massachusetts. 8 Pennsylvania. 29 

New Jersey 18 Virginia 1 

Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.193. By July, 1920, they 
had risen 168% to $.517. A decline of 17% took place from the 
latter period up to January, 1922, at which time the average 
hourly earnings were $.429, an increase of 122% over July, 1914. 
A general high level of hourly earnings was maintained during 
the last half of 1920. At the beginning of 1921 a sharp reduction 
occurred amounting to approximately 4>2 cents an hour, or 9%. 
The decline in hourly earnings continued during the spring and 
summer months of 1921. In October and November, 1921, a 
slight increase occurred, followed by a decline to a new low 
level in December. 

Regarding specific groups of employees, the study shows 
that in July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.201. In September, 1920, they had increased 160% 
over July, 1914, to $.523. From September, 1920, up to Jan- 
uary, 1922, they declined 19.7% to $.420. In July, 1914, the 

99 



average hourly earnings of male skilled labor "ere $.!-'. By 
July 3 1920 , they bad increased 162% t 5 " 1 from the lat- 
ter ::::: j ap to the beginning :>f 1922 3 ^clined 18.7% to $.518. 
In July 3 1914 3 the average hourly ear ning s ::':.: : ; were $.153. 
In June :tober 3 1920 3 they reached 5-1:. an increase of 

178% : ver 1914. The achate from these peaks up to January 3 
1922 3 amounted :: 16.9% 3 the average earnings at :he beginning 
of 1911 leiag 5.":-. By January, 1922 3 therefore, the average 
hourly earnings for these three groups had increased respec- 
tively, 109%, 113%, and 151' : 7~ever the July, 1914 levels. 

b Weekly earnings: Tne average weekly earnings of 

r rag? «8mm in July, 1914, were $9.S 5 . By June, Ihlla they 
had increased 122% t: f 21.92. The decline from the latter 
a^riia up t: January, 1922 was 10.7% 3 at which time the 
average weekly earnings were $19.5". a ret increase :: 98 c 7 
:>ver Tuna 1914. The trend :: weeklv earnings "as ntarkea by 
considerable fluctuations auring tar last hall :: 1920 3 reatning a 
low point in January 3 1921. Gradual increases : : turrea in tne 
sating :: 1921, followed again by further declines in tne summer 
months of 1911. Tne last nan : 1921 ere dominated by 
lower levels in both hourly ana weekly earnings, altiatugia tart- 
was a sharp increase in weekly earnings in December. 1921. 

In Tana 1914 3 tae average weekly earnings :: •;.;..-■ common 

r --ere J12.07. In June, 1920 3 they :u: risen 104% aver 

July 3 1914 t: (24.61. From June 3 192( t: January, 1922 they 

declined 16.7% 3 tae average weekly earnings being $2 :h by 

the latter aer::a. In July. 1914, the average weekly earnings 

: male skilled labor were 511—1 By September, 192C they 

had risen 119% tc $27.14 and arena tar latter arriia t: tae ::- 

ginning :' 1922 leclined t: p23.94 3 :r 11.8%. In July, 1914, 

the average weekly earnings :: women were $769. By Atrra. 

1921 3 tar aaa risen 125% t: 51" 11. Tae decline from this 

a up to January 3 1922 3 amounted t: 9.5% 3 tne average 

earnings at tar beginning of 1922 being $15.68. By January, 

1922, therel re. tar average weekly earnings for these three 

groups aaa increased respectively "1. 95-7 anal 1- aa: 

tae July 3 1914 levels. 

As June, 192( is tar first aeriia after July 3 1914 covered in 

rerrtrr, :t :s quite ycssible that a reaaicri a :ceurred prier 
- June, 1,-1 . 5: tact tar actual aecline in earnings rrcna acr 



CENTS 
PEB MDUR 

IDDr— 



Silk Manufacturing 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARN IN 



3D 
BO 
TD 
60 
5D 
40 
30 
20 
10 




JULY 

1914 

DOLLARS 
PER WEEK 

50 



45 
40 
35 
30 
25 
20 
15 
10 
5 




JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC . J AN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEH OCT. NOV. DEC . 

1920 1321 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 




JULY 

1914 




I92D 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 
101 



Composite Payroll Data — Silk Manufacturing 



Period 


Number Wage 


Average Hours 


Wages (All Wage Earners) 




.tLcirncrs r 




Av. 


Av. 




Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 
Earn- 
ings 


Index 


Mr>o 








IN OS. 


One 


1914-22 

Establ. 

(41 
plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 

(72 

plants) 


Week 

Per 

Wage 

Earner 


Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Earnings 


Week 
In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


15,000 




51.1 


54.1 


54.0 


$.193 


$ 9.88 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


15,150 


23,514 


42.5 


46.1 


48.1 


.516 


21.92 


267 


222 


July.... 


14,959 


22,864 


41.8 


45.6 


47.9 


.517 


21.58 


268 


218 


Aug. ... 


14,563 


22,266 


40.2 


44.2 


48.1 


.515 


20.70 


267 


209 


Sept.... 


14,003 


21,251 


41.8 


44.1 


47.9 


.514 


21.49 


266 


217 


Oct 


13,779 


20,801 


41.7 


44.0 


48.6 


.517 


21.56 


268 


218 


Nov. . . . 


12,999 


18,640 


39.4 


40.5 


48.5 


.516 


20.34 


267 


206 


Dec ... . 


11,908 


17,740 


42.6 


49.1 


48.7 


.508 


21.61 


263 


219 


1921 




















Jan 


11,897 


18,651 


42.4 


49.8 


48.5 


.464 


19.67 


240 


199 


Feb ... . 


12,357 


20,357 


44.3 


49.9 


48.7 


.456 


20.18 


236 


204 


March. . 


13,659 


22,296 


46.8 


49.6 


48.1 


.452 


21.15 


234 


214 


April. . . 


14,231 


23,358 


46.7 


49.6 


48.6 


.449 


21.00 


233 


213 


May . . . 


14,372 


23,914 


46.8 


49.7 


49.1 


.440 


20.59 


228 


208 


June . . . 


14,491 


24,186 


46.7 


49.9 


48.6 


.441 


20.63 


228 


209 


July*.. . 


14,784 


23,903 


46.5 


49.7 


48.8 


.437 


20.32 


226 


206 


Aug. . . . 


14,792 


24,646 


45.1 


46.4 


48.8 


.439 


19.82 


227 


201 


Sept 


14,501 


24,234 


43.3 


46.5 


48.9 


.440 


19.05 


228 


193 


Oct 


13,977 


23,358 


43.7 


46.4 


48.5 


.448 


19.60 


232 


198 


Nov 


13,595 


22,562 


42.5 


46.2 


48.7 


.444 


18.87 


230 


191 


Dec . . . 


13,547 


22,880 


45.6 


46.5 


48.8 


.429 


19.57 


222 


198 



'See Introduction p. 2. 



peak may be greater than that presented by the accompanying 
data. The year 1921 was marked by a gradual decline in 
earnings, more affected by curtailment of working hours than 
by reduction of hourly earnings. 



Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered increased 
approximately 3% from June, 1920 up to July, 1921. This 
increase was sustained through September, 1921, followed by 
gradual declines during the remaining months of the year, so 
that employment at the beginning of 1922 was about 3% lower 
than it was in June, 1920. There were slight increases in em- 

102 



Silk Manufacturing 



CD 

24 






22 






2D 






16 
IB 








14 






)2 






ID 






a 






6 






4 






2 




- 


n 




IS 


J* 
14 


HOUR 
PERWt 

60 


3 




55 
5Q 










\ x V s 




\ \ 


45 
40 
35 


>v 


x 






3D 






25 





































f 


















J 


^r 


































f 




























V 






X 
















































NER 
B 


s 








■ ■■ 


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'*% 














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'*• 


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— „ 




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VoK 


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.... 


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= .. 







































JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAP. APR. MAY JUN . JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. BEE . 

1920 1921 

AVERAGE HOURS OF WORK 







































**••. 












A 


CTTU 
_AN1 


AL V 
" OF 


VEE 

f.R.^ 


\ OF 

T!Oh 


l 


















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... 




*^ 


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INA 


L W 
.— 


EEK 


actual week" 
:r wage eadme 












\ 


* 

i j 

3 V 





































































































































JULY 

1914 



JUN . JUL. AUa SEP OCT. NDV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . 

[920 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

103 



ployment of male skilled and unskilled labor, and a decline in 
that of female labor. 

Employment in identical establishments between July, 1914, 
and the end of the year 1921 declined about 10%. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 54 hours constituted the average nominal week. 
A general reduction in working hours took place during the 
war period so that by June, 1920 the average hours were 48.1. 
A general level of between 48-49 hours was maintained up to 
January, 1922. 

The average hours oj plant operation in July, 1914, were 54.1. 
During the last half of 1920, there was a depression in plant 
activity, resulting in a decline to 40.5 hours in November, 1920. 
During December, 1920 there was a marked revival, which 
continued through July, 1921, followed again by declines during 
the last half of the year. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline 
from 51.1 hours in July, 1914, to 42.5 hours in June, 1920, The 
trend during 1920 and 1921 closely followed that of plant 
activity. From July, 1921 through November, 1921, there 
was a considerable decline, followed by a resumption of activity 
in December. The general stability of actual working hours 
helped to maintain weekly earnings at fairly well sustained 
levels. 

Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in the silk industry shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $.429, or 122% above the July, 1914 level of 
$.193. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 
1, 1922 stood at $19.57, or 98% above the July, 1914 level of 
$9.88. 

3. The decline in average hourly earnings from the peak 
was in general accord with wage reductions in many indus- 
tries, while the maintenance of fairly regular working hours 
prevented severe reductions in weekly earnings. 

104 





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105 



4. At the beginning of 1922, employment in the silk industry 
was only about 3% below the level of June, 1920, reflecting 
fairly stable conditions. 

5. A marked revival of activity during the first half ol 
1921 was followed by depression in the latter half of that year. 



105 



IX 

HOSIERY AND KNIT GOODS MANUFACTURING 

The wage investigation in this industry included establish- 
ments manufacturing hosiery, underwear, sweaters and other 
knitted wear. While conditions varied considerably between 
hosiery and underwear plants, wage differentials were reflected 
only in the earnings of common labor. The composite group, 
therefore, made up of both hosiery and underwear plants, 
has been used for this investigation. Returns were received 
from 80 plants, 69 of which furnished information for the last 
wage investigation. The largest number of wage earners 
employed in any one month in the 80 establishments was 
22,737 in June, 1920. The geographical distribution within 15 
states is as follows: 



Connecticut. . . 3 North Carolina 2 

Georgia 1 Ohio 4 

Maryland 1 Pennsylvania 24 

Massachusetts 4 South Carolina 1 

Michigan 4 Utah 1 

Minnesota. 2 West Virginia. 1 

New Jersey 2 Wisconsin 5 

New York..... 25 



Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.179. By June, 1920, they had 
increased 155% to $.456. The decline was 14.5% from the 
latter period up to January, 1922, when the average hourly 
earnings were $.390, an increase of 118% over July, 1914. A 
stationary condition of hourly earnings existed through 1920, 
with a reduction of approximately 10% occurring in January, 
1921. The year 1921 showed a practically unchanged situation. 

In July, 1914 the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.163. By December, 1920, they had increased 202% 

107 



to $.492. The decline from the latter period up to January, 
1922 was 22.2% to $.376. In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $.242. By December, 1920 
they had increased 165% to $.642, declining 12.1% to $.564 
from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 
1914, the average hourly earnings of women were $.159. By 
June, 1920, they had increased 148% to $.395. The decline 
from this peak up to the beginning of 1922 amounted to 13.2%, 
leaving the average earnings $.343. By January, 1922, there- 
fore, the average hourly earnings of the three groups had in- 
creased respectively 131%, 133% and 116% over the July, 
1914 level. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were $8.59. By June, 1920, they had 
increased 140% to $20.59. The decline amounted to 14.3% 
from the latter period up to July, 1922, when the average weekly 
earnings were $17.65, a net increase of 105% over July, 1914. 
Weekly earnings remained practically stationary through Octo- 
ber, 1920. In November, 1920, there was considerable reduc- 
tion due to shorter working hours, and the opening months of 

1921 showed continued depression. The fluctuations occurring 
during the remainder of 1921 were due to the variation in the 
length of working hours. Weekly earnings were only moder- 
ately affected by the decline in hourly earnings. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $8.54. By December, 1920, they had increased 166% 
to $22.71. The decline from this period up to January, 1922 
amounted to 17.9%, at which time the average weekly earnings 
were $18.35. In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of 
male skilled labor were $12.36. By August, 1920, they had in- 
creased 135% to $29.01, and then declined 14.9% to $24.69 
from the latter period up to 1922. In July, 1914, the average 
weekly earnings of women were $7.40. By June, 1920, they had 
increased 135% to $17.41. The decline from this peak up to 

1922 amounted to 11%, the average earnings at the latter time 
being $15.49. In January, 1922, therefore, weekly earnings for 
the three groups had increased respectively 115%, 100% and 
109% over the July, 1914 levels. 

108 



Hosiery and Knit Goods Manufacturing 



CENTS 
PER HOUR 

ma 



9D 
BO 
TO 
BD 
5D 
40 
30 
EO 
10 



ji 

1314 

DOLLARS 
PER WEEK 

50 
45 
40 
35 
30 
25 
20 

15 

10 
5 








AVER 


AG 


E 


HOURLY 


EARNINGS 
















































( 


j) 






















































































M 


EN- 


SKiL 


LEG 




y 


\ 




























Ml 


"1 








\ 


»», 


-.- 




■v.^ 









"*.„, 


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— 


f 






, »«.L«»»'i*»» 


— 


,„•• 


> 


N 






►«», 


-.»""■ 


















WAGE EARNE 


5? 










-J 1 

WDMEN 




~ 


N 


-■■ 






,_- 




















































































































































JUN.. 


1! 


32C 


] 










I 


321 

























AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 




JULY 

1914 





























































































































~M 


EH- 






































f" 


N 


e.' 


V. 














,y 














***, 


tvlE 


LT 1 


U- 


s 

s 




























V>/Ai 


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% 














.•*! 


ksE 
















7oK 


EN 






















s 


*»* * 














X 


*>"* c ^ 




























































































,1 


JN. JUL. AUG. S 


EP. ocrr 


]V. DEC. , 


X. 


I 


321 


D 










I 


3SI 

























(National Industrial Conference Board) 

109 



Composite Payroll Data — Hosiery and Knit Goods 
Manufacturing 





Number Wage 










Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Hours 


Wages 
(All Wage Earners) 




One 
Week 


1914-22 
Establ. 

(48 
plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 

(80 

plants) 


Av. 
Week 

Per 
Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- , 

nal r 

Week 1 


Av. 
My. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


13,934 




47.9 


54.1 


56.1 $ 


179 


$8.59 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


17,156 


22,737 


45.1 


49.3 


49.1 


456 


20.59 


255 


240 


July.... 


16,560 


22,330 


43.3 


47.6 


49.2 


448 


19.41 


250 


226 


Aug. . . . 


15,353 


21,116 


44.5 


49.4 


49.6 


441 


19.63 


246 


229 


Sept.... 


15,257 


20,816 


44.0 


48.9 


49.4 


444 


19.57 


248 


228 


Oct 


12,114 


17,764 


43.8 


46.5 


49.4 


445 


19.48 


249 


227 


Nov 


11,967 


17,145 


40.3 


44.3 


49.7 


438 


17.66 


245 


206 


Dec... 


9,204 


13,962 


40.9 


44.6 


49.7 


448 


18.32 


250 


213 


1921 




















Jan 


8,766 


13,700 


41.4 


45.7 


50.0 


402 


16.64 


225 


194 


Feb.... 


10,961 


16,392 


43.3 


48.3 


49.9 


398 


17.23 


222 


201 


March. . 


12,072 


17,777 


42.3 


47.2 


49.8 


408 


17.29 


228 


201 


April . . . 


13,136 


19,124 


43.0 


47.0 


49.6 


400 


17.19 


223 


200 


May . . . 


13,184 


19,358 


44.5 


49.1 


49.7 


404 


17.96 


226 


209 


June . . . 


13,248 


19,709 


44.0 


49.1 


49.7 


406 


17.86 


227 


208 


July*.. . 


12,486 


18,792 


42.3 


46.9 


49.9 


386 


16.31 


216 


190 


Aug.... 


12,232 


18,420 


44.4 


48.8 


50.1 


394 


17.53 


220 


204 


Sept 


13,267 


19,611 


45.1 


48.8 


49.8 


399 


17.98 


223 


209 


Oct 


13,522 


21,552 


45.3 


49.2 


49.8 


394 


17.83 


220 


208 


Nov. . . . 


14,929 


21,723 


45.4 


48.7 


50.0 


391 


17.75 


218 


207 


Dec. . . . 


15,042 


21,515 


45.2 


48.2 


50.1 


390 


17.65 


218 


205 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 



Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered declined 
5.4% from June, 1920 to January, 1922. During this time 
male common labor increased 31.1%, while male skilled labor 
declined 22.4% and women 2.9%. The increase in common 
labor during this period is probably attributable to the fact 
that many companies changed the status of skilled and semi- 
skilled laborers to those of common laborers on their payrolls. 
The depression period of employment was reached at the begin- 
ning of 1921. Employment increased during 1921, particularly 
in the last three months. 



110 



THOUSANDS 



ES 






ED 






IB 






IE 


/ 




14 






IE 






ID 






8 






6 






4 






E 






n 




JL 

19 


LY 

14 


HOUR 
PER WE 

BD 


3 
EK 




55 


s 


\ 


5D 


'^x 


■v 


45 
40 








35 






3D 






E5 





Hosiery and Knit Goods Manufacturing 

NUMBER DF WAGE EARNERS 




JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV 

I9ED I9EI 

AVERAGE HDURS OF WORK 



JULY 

1914 




JUN. JU L. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. F EB. MAP. APR. M AY JUN. JUL. AUG . SEP OCT NOV DEC 

I92Q 1921 ~ ! — ' 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 
111 



Employment in identical establishments between July, 1914, 
and the end of the year 1921 increased 8%. 



Hours 

In July, 1914, 56.1 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. Following the general reduction of working hours during 
the war period, there was a drop to 49.1 hours in June, 1920. 
At this point, the hours of plant operation were above those 
of the nominal week. A general level of from 49-50 hours has 
been maintained up to January, 1922. 

The average hours of plant operation decreased from 54.1 
to 49.3 in June, 1920. Plant activity was well sustained through 
September, 1920. The remaining months of that year showed 
a decline, but there was a revival during January and February 
of 1921. The remaining months of 1921 showed considerable 
fluctuations, but there was a general tendency to increased 
activity during the year. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline 
from 47.9 in July, 1914, to 45.1 hours in June, 1921. There was 
a marked decline in working hours during 1920, apparently 
due to the industrial depression. The year 1921 showed con- 
tinued improvement, though there were fluctuations, due 
chiefly to piece-work production. 



Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in hosiery and knit goods manu- 
facturing shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $.390, or 118% above the July, 1914 level of 
$.179. 

2. The average weekly earnings of all wage earners on Janu- 
ary 1, 1922 stood at $17.65 or 105% above the 1914 level of 
$8.59. 

3. The decline from the peak, of 14.3% in weekly earnings 
was far less than the reductions in many other basic industries, 
particularly the textile group. 

112 



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113 



4. Employment declined 5.4% from June, 1920 up to the 
beginning of 1922, due chiefly to layoffs in the male skilled 
group. 

5. Increased working hours and employment in hosiery 
manufacturing indicated an approach to normal activity at the 
end of 1921. 



114 



X 

RUBBER MANUFACTURING 

The data for this industry cover establishments engaged in 
the manufacture of rubber tires, rubber footwear, mechan- 
ical rubber goods, rubberized fabrics and sundries. Returns 
were received from 80 plants, 77 of which furnished data for 
the last wage investigation. The largest number of wage 
earners employed in any one month in the 80 establishments 
was 73,501 in June, 1920. Thus, over 41% of the wage earners 
reported by the 1919 Census of Manufactures for the rubber 
industry are covered in this report. The majority of the 
plants are in the largest centers of rubber manufacturing. The 
geographical distribution within 16 states is as follows: 

California 1 Michigan 1 

Connecticut 8 New Jersey 10 

Delaware 2 New York 7 



Illinois 

Indiana 

Iowa 

Maryland 

Massachusetts 1 



Ohio 19 

Oregon 1 

Pennsylvania 6 

Rhode Island 4 

Wisconsin 2 



Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.256. By June, 1920, they 
had risen 174% to $.702. The decline from the latter period 
up to January, 1922 amounted to 24.4%, at which time the 
average hourly earnings were $.531, an increase of 107% over 
July, 1914. The general high level of hourly earnings was main- 
tained through October, 1920. In November occurred a decrease 
of 2.3 cents, followed in December by a further reduction of 
2 cents. In February, 1921, occurred a still further reduction 
of 2.1 cents, while the largest decrease during the last six months 
of 1921 occurred in September, when there was a decline of 
3.8 cents. The general trend of hourly earnings was 

115 



steadily downward during 1920 and 1921, dominated by the 
reductions in the periods noted. 

In July, 1914 the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were 1218. By June, 1920, they had increased 170% 
to $.589. The decline from the latter period up to January, 
1922 was 30.7% to $.408. In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $.288. By June, 1920, they 
had risen 176% to $.794, declining 22% to $.619 from the 
latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, 
the average hourly earnings of women were $.180. In Septem- 
ber, 1920, they had risen 149% to $.449. The decline from this 
peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 23.8%, the average 
earnings at the beginning of 1922 being $.342. By January, 
1922, therefore, the average hourly earnings for these three 
groups had increased respectively 87%, 115% and 90% over 
the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were $12.75. By June, 1920, they 
had increased 144% to $31.09. The decline from the latter 
period up to January, 1922 was 20.7%, at which time the aver- 
age weekly earnings were $24.66, a net increase of 93% over 
July, 1914. The trend of weekly earnings has been affected 
both by reductions in hourly earnings and working hours. 
Industrial conditions in the automobile industry have had a 
dominant influence upon rubber manufacturing. The majority 
of wage schedules covered in this investigation came from rub- 
ber tire manufacturers whose productive activity is dependent 
upon conditions in the automobile industry. 



In July, 1914 the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $11.56. By July, 1920 they had increased 142% 
to $27.96. From the latter period up to January, 1922 they 
declined 33.2% to $18.69. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $14.27. In July, 1920, they 
had increased 142% to $34.57, then declining 17.5% to $28.54 
from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 
1914, the average weekly earnings of women were $8.79. In 
July, 1920, they had increased 124% to $19.65. The de- 
cline from this peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 16.8%, 
the average earnings at the beginning of 1922 being $16.35. 

116 



Rubber Manufacturing 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 




(National Industrial Conference Board) 

117 



Composite Payroll Data — Rubber Manufacturing 





Number Wage 








\xr„ 






Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Hours 


(All Wage Earners) 


One 
Week 


1914-21 

Establ. 

(49 
plants) 


Total 
All 

Establ. 
(80 

plants) 


Av. 

Week 

Per 

Wage 

Earner 


Av. 

Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 
Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 
Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


23,535 




49.9 


52.5 


52.8 


$.256 


$12.75 


100 


100 


1920 




















June. . . 


56,415 


73,501 


44.3 


44.4 


48.4 


.702 


31.09 


274 


244 


July.... 


52,769 


65,844 


43.6 


44.1 


48.3 


.690 


30.14 


270 


236 


Aug. .. . 


44,100 


53,434 


43.3 


44.3 


48.2 


.681 


29.51 


266 


231 


Sept. . . . 


38,265 


47,164 


43.6 


44.8 


48.4 


.680 


29.65 


266 


233 


Oct 


35,084 


42,502 


42.0 


43.9 


48.2 


.671 


28.21 


262 


221 


Nov. . . . 


29,999 


36,713 


39.8 


41.3 


48.1 


.648 


25.82 


253 


203 


Dec.... 


27,193 


32,800 


37.6 


39.4 


48.1 


.628 


23.62 


245 


185 


1921 




















Jan 


25,602 


31,074 


38.2 


40.6 


48.6 


.626 


23.90 


245 


187 


Feb.... 


22,734 


28,930 


38.9 


40.7 


48.1 


.605 


23.52 


236 


184 


Mar 


24,030 


31,078 


42.8 


44.5 


48.9 


.605 


25.88 


236 


203 


April . . . 


25,903 


35,317 


44.7 


45.8 


48.9 


.606 


26.98 


237 


212 


May . . . 


27,993 


38,812 


43.9 


46.3 


48.7 


.608 


26.68 


238 


209 


June . . . 


22,714 


33,170 


45.4 


46.4 


48.9 


.611 


27.75 


239 


218 


July*... 


28,758 


40,665 


45.5 


45.9 


47.1 


.590 


26.80 


230 


210 


Aug.... 


29,223 


43,305 


46.2 


46.9 


47.4 


.594 


27.44 


232 


215 


Sept.... 


28,223 


42,555 


45.3 


47.7 


47.5 


.556 


25.20 


217 


198 


Oct 


29,625 


41,552 


45.4 


47.5 


47.3 


.536 


24.29 


209 


191 


Nov. . . . 


29,704 


40,527 


45.1 


47.3 


47.5 


.533 


24.06 


208 


189 


Dec... 


30,481 


41,873 


46.4 


47.1 


47.6 


.531 


24.66 


207 


193 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 

By January, 1922, therefore, the average weekly earnings for 
these three groups had increased respectively 62%, 100% and 
86% over the July, 1914 levels. 



Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered declined 
43% from June, 1920 up to the beginning of 1922. There 
was a steady decline from the peak through February, 1921. 
April and May showed an increased number of employees, 
followed by another decline in June. The last six months of 
1921 showed more or less fluctuating, but on the whole, steadily 
improving conditions in regard to the number of people em- 
ployed. The percentages of decline in the three groups from 

118 



Rubber Manufacturing 

NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS 



7D 








BD 










5D 




/ 




/ 






/ 


40 






/ 






/ 






/ 






/ 




£0 










10 










n 







JULY 

1914 



BD 



55 



50 



45 



40 



35 



30 




55 

JULY 

1914 




(National Industrial Conference Board) 
119 



June, 1920 up to the beginning of 1922 were: male common 
labor, 41%; male skilled labor, 47.29c; women, 27.1%. 

Employment in identical establishments between July, 1914, 
and the end of the year 1921 increased 29.5%. 



Hours 

In July, 1914, 52.8 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. Following the general reduction of hours during the war 
period, the nominal week declined 48.4 hours in June, 1920, 
and the latter level of more than 48 hours was maintained 
through June, 1921. In July, 1921, there was a decline to 47.1 
hours, which continued until the close of the year due to re- 
duction of hours in several of the larger plants. 

The average hours of plant operation in July, 1914, were 52.5. 
In June, 1920, they had dropped to 44.4. Between June and 
December, 1920 there was a decline of 5 hours in plant activity. 
The year 1921 was marked by steady improvement in plant 
activity, so that in December, 1921, the average plant was 
operating 2.7 hours longer than in June, 1920. 

The average actual week per wage earner declined from 49.9 
hours in July, 1914 to 44.3 hours in June, 1920. The slump 
in productive activity began to take effect in November, 1920, 
and the trough of 37.6 hours per week was reached in December. 
The trend of working hours closely followed that of plant 
activity, showing improved conditions throughout 1921, par- 
ticularly during the closing months. 



Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in the rubber manufacturing 
industry shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 
1, 1922 stood at S.531, or 107% above the July, 1914 level of 
$.256. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at S24.66, or -93% above the July, 1914 level of 

512.75. 

120 



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121 



3. The decline of 24.4% in hourly earnings and 20.7% in 
weekly earnings was in general accord with wage reductions 
in many basic industries. 

4. There was a total decline in employment of 43% between 
June, 1920 and the beginning of 1922. 

5. The depression period in the industry occurred during 
the closing months of 1920, and the year 1921 showed 
considerable improvement in productive activity, working hours 
and employment. 



122 



XI 

LEATHER TANNING AND FINISHING 

The investigation covered establishments engaged in the 
tanning and finishing of leather hides, but did not include the 
manufacturers of leather. Returns were received from 70 
of the 75 plants which supplied material for the last wage 
investigation. The largest number of wage earners employed 
in any one month in 70 establishments was 10,280 in June, 1920. 
Thus, approximately 13% of the wage earners reported by the 
1919 Census of Manufactures for the leather tanning industry 
are covered in this report. The geographical distribution 
within 22 states is as follows: 

California 7 New Jersey 3 

Connecticut 2 New York 7 

Delaware 1 North Carolina 2 

Illinois 3 Ohio 4 

Maine 3 Oregon 1 

Maryland 1 Pennsylvania 6 

Massachusetts 15 Tennessee 1 

Michigan 2 Virginia 1 

Minnesota 1 Washington 1 

Missouri 1 West Virginia 1 

New Hampshire 1 Wisconsin 6 

There are peculiar difficulties connected with any compilation 
of wage data in the leather tanning industry. The greater 
proportion of the work in tanneries is of "muscle" labor re- 
quiring more or less skill. Therefore, the dividing line of occu- 
pational classification between common and skilled labor is 
difficult to fix. In the second place, the proportion of Women is 
small, and the data for this group, therefore, are relatively un- 
important. Finally, in many plants, men are employed, in the 
course of one day, on both day and piece work. This com- 
bination of piece rates and per diem earnings makes data on 
average hourly earnings of minor significance. 



Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners was $.214. By August, 1920, they 

123 



had increased 168% over July, 1914 to $.573. Hourly earnings 
declined 22.2% from the latter period up to January, 1922, at 
which time the average hourly earnings were $.446, an increase 
of 108% over 1914. The general high level of hourly earnings 
was held during the last half of 1920. The beginning of 1921 
was characterized by a general 10% reduction followed by 
gradual declines throughout the rest of the year. The low point 
occurred in November, 1921. 

In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.199. In August, 1920, they had increased 163% 
over July, 1914, to $.523. From the latter period up to January, 
1922, they declined 26.6% to $.384. In July, 1914, the average 
hourly earnings of male skilled labor were $.235. By September 
and November, 1920 they had risen 170% to $.634, declining 
to $.503, or 20.7% from the latter period up to the beginning 
of 1922. In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of women 
were $.146. In June, 1920, they reached $.427, an increase 
of 192%. The decline from this peak up to January, 1922 
amounted to 30.7%, the average earnings at the beginning 
of 1922 being $.296. By January, 1922, therefore, the average 
hourly earnings of these three groups had increased respectively 
93%, 114% and 103% over the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: Average weekly earnings of all wage 
earners in July, 1914 were $11.24. By July, 1920 they had 
increased 146% to $27.69. There was a gradual decline during 
the last half of 1920. At the beginning of 1921 there was a 
greater decline, due to the reduction in hourly earnings. The 
decline from July, 1920 up to January, 1922 was 20.8%, at 
which time the average weekly earnings were $21.93, a net 
increase of 95% over July, 1914. The general level of $22.00 
was maintained throughout 1921, due to the fact that 
though there was a decline in hourly earnings, working hours 
increased. 

In July, 1914, average weekly earnings of male common labor 
were $11.01. In June, 1920, they had increased 140% to $26.46. 
From the latter period up to January, 1922, they declined 26.2% 
to $19.54. In July, 1914, average weekly earnings of male 
skilled labor were $11.92. By June, 1920 they had increased 
153% to $30.20, then declining 20% to $24.16 from the latter 
period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, the aver- 

124 



Leather Tanning and Finishing 



CENTS 

pen moub. 
IQO 



30 
BO 
70 
60 
50 
40 
30 
20 
10 



JULY 

1914 

DOLLARS 
PER WEEK 

50i — 



45 
40 
35 
30 
25 
20 
15 
10 
5 









/ 


// 

/ / 


/// , 


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AVERAGE HOURLY 


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1914 



AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 



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JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAH. APR. MAY JUN. JUL AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . 



1820 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

125 



Composite Payroll Data- 


—Leather Tanning and Finishing 


Period 


Number Wage 
Earners Employed 


Average Hours 


Wages (All Wage Earners) 








Av. 


Av. 




Av. 

Hrly. 
Earn- 
ings 




Index Nos. 


One 

Week 

In 


1914-22 


1920-22 


Week 


Hours 


Nomi- 


Av. 

W T kly. 
Earn- 
ings 


Earnings 


Establ. 

(58 
plants) 


Establ. 
(70 

plants) 


Per 

Wage 
Earner 


Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


nal 
Week 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July. . . . 


7,521 




52.5 


56.7 


57.6 


$.214 


$11.24 


100 


100 


1920 




















June.. . . 


8,763 


10,280 


47.7 


49.3 


50.3 


.572 


27.27 


267 


243 


July.... 


8,109 


9,576 


48.6 


50.7 


50.4 


.570 


27.69 


266 


246 


Aug.... 


7,792 


9,229 


47.4 


50.0 


50.3 


.571 


27.07 


267 


241 


Sept. . . . 


7,398 


8,669 


46.4 


50.3 


50.8 


.573 


26.58 


268 


236 


Oct 


6,788 


8,149 


45.4 


48.7 


50.6 


.565 


25.65 


264 


228 


Nov 


6,318 


7,576 


44.2 


49.0 


50.5 


.571 


25.27 


267 


225 


Dec 


6,069 


7,239 


44.5 


48.3 


50.5 


.555 


24.71 


259 


220 


1921 




















Jan 


5,847 


6,919 


43.7 


47.4 


50.7 


.501 


21.85 


234 


194 


Feb 


5,478 


6,532 


44.4 


47.2 


50.8 


.500 


22.19 


233 


197 


March. . 


5,534 


6,703 


45.5 


48.7 


50.8 


.497 


22.61 


232 


201 


April . . . 


5,927 


7,324 


45.2 


47.2 


50.1 


.487 


22.05 


228 


196 


May 


6,122 


7,530 


46.9 


49.4 


50.3 


.471 


22.08 


220 


196 


June 


6,444 


7,812 


48.5 


49.7 


50.8 


.468 


22.69 


219 


202 


July*... 


6,575 


7,834 


48.7 


49.3 


50.3 


.456 


22.19 


213 


197 


Aug .... 


6,694 


8,041 


48.6 


49.6 


50.2 


.459 


22.32 


214 


199 


Sept. . . . 


6,665 


8,077 


47.7 


49.7 


50.1 


.455 


21.74 


213 


193 


Oct 


6,856 


8,259 


48.9 


49.2 


50.0 


.445 


21.73 


208 


193 


Nov .... 


7,034 


8,396 


47.7 


49.1 


50.3 


.439 


20.91 


205 


186 


Dec. ... 


7,167 


8,638 


49.2 


49.6 


50.3 


.446 


21.93 


208 


195 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 

age weekly earnings of women were $6.46. By June, 1920, 
they had reached $18.06, an increase of 180%. The decline 
from this peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 19.3%, the 
average earnings at the beginning of 1922 being $14.58. By 
January, 1922, therefore, average weekly earnings for these 
three groups had increased respectively 77%, 103% and 126% 
over the July, 1914 levels. 



Employment 

Total employment in establishments covered declined 16% 
from June, 1920 up to the beginning of 1922. The greatest 
period of unemployment was reached in February, 1921. This 
period of stagnation was followed by gradual increases up to 
the beginning of 1922. The percentages of decline from June, 

126 



Leather Tanning and Finishing 



THOUSANDS 
I I 



JULY 

1314 



60 



55 



50 



45 



40 



35 



30 



25 

JULY 

1314 





NUMBER 


DF WAGE EARNERS 














































t 






































s 








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JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEB QCT. NOV. DEC . 

I9E0 1351 

AVERAGE HOURS OF WORK 




NOMINAL WEEK 



JUN. JUL. AUG. 1 

1920 



OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR.MAY JUN. JUL AU& SEP. OCT. NOV DEC 



1351 



(National Industrial Conference Board) 

127 



1920 up to 1922 in the various groups were as follows: Male 
common labor, 19.1%; male skilled labor, 10.7%; women 

37.7%. 

Employment in identical establishments declined 4.7% be- 
tween July, 1914 and the end of the year 1921. 



Hours 

In July, 1914, 57.6 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. By June, 1920, the hours had shrunk to 50.3 and the 
general level of from 50 to 51 hours was maintained till the 
close of 1921. 

The average hours of plant operation in July, 1914 were 56.7. 
In June, 1920, they declined to 49.3. There was a further de- 
cline in plant activity between November, 1920 and March, 
1921. April, 1921 witnessed a temporary depression, but the 
general level of the hours of plant operation was well above 49 
hours during the remaining months of 1921, showing stabilized 
conditions. 

The average week per wage earner show a decline from 52.5 
hours in July, 1914, to 47.7 hours in June, 1920. The general 
trend closely followed that of plant operation. There was a 
marked improvement in working hours during 1921. A com- 
parison of hours in December, 1920 and December, 1921 shows 
that the average wage earner was working 4.7 hours longer 
in the latter period than in the preceding year. 



Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in the leather tanning industry 
shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $.446, or 108% above the July, 1914 level of 

$.214. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $21 .93, or 95% above the July, 1914 level of $1 1 .24. 

3. From June, 1920 up to January, 1922 the decline in the 
total number of wage earners employed was 16%, 

128 



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129 



4. The depression period occurred in February, 1921, fol- 
lowed in the spring and summer months by a gradual approach 
to more normal conditions. 

5. Indications at the beginning of 1922 pointed to a fairly 
tabilized condition of employment, earnings and production. 



130 



XII 

BOOT AND SHOE MANUFACTURING 

The wage investigation in the boot and shoe industry covered 
establishments manufacturing only leather footwear. The 
returns covering the manufacture of rubber footwear are in- 
cluded in tabulations for the rubber industry. Returns were 
received from 101 plants, 98 of which supplied material for the 
last wage investigation. The largest number of wage earners 
employed in any one month was 55,629 in June, 1920. Thus 
over 22% of the wage earners reported by the 1919 Census of 
Manufactures for the boot and shoe industry are covered in 
this report. The plants covered in this investigation are repre- 
sentative in the number of wage earners employed and in 
distribution and size, located principally in centers of boot and 
shoe manufacturing such as Binghamton, N. Y.; Boston and 
environs; Chicago; Cincinnati; Manchester, N. H.; Phila- 
delphia, and St. Louis. The geographical distribution within 
11 states is as follows: 

Illinois 8 New Jersey 3 

Maine 3 New York 13 

Massachusetts 31 Ohio 7 

Michigan 1 Pennsylvania 7 

Missouri 10 Wisconsin. 5 

New Hampshire 13 

Compilation of hourly wage data in the boot and shoe indus- 
try is exceedingly difficult. A record of hours worked and 
hourly earnings is kept by only a few establishments. The 
frequent combination of piece and per diem rates and task and 
bonus systems makes any compilation of actual hourly data 
practically impossible. Only a few of the schedules received 
in the investigation included actual hours. 

In order, however, to give some conception of average hours 
and average hourly earnings, an estimate has been made by 
multiplying the plant hours by the number of people, thus 
securing actual man hours based on the time of plant operation. 
As many plants work their employees practically the full time 

131 



of plant operation, it was felt that this method of compilation 
would give a fairly accurate estimate of hourly earnings and 
hours. In addition, the few plants that reported actual hours 
on their schedules were included in the total, but they did not 
predominate in the group. The average hourly earnings and 
average hours given for this industry are, therefore, an ap- 
proximation, but have been included in the composite or sum- 
mary chapter with the hourly earnings of other basic industries. 

Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.218. By February, 1921, 
they had increased 152% to $.55. The decline from this peak 
up to January, 1922 was 12.9%, leaving the average hourly 
earnings at $.479 or 120% above the 1914 level. During 1920 
hourly earnings stood at practically a constant level. From 
February, 1921, there was a gradual decline. 

The study shows that in July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male common labor were $.187. By June, 1920, 
they had increased 121% to $.414. From this period they 
declined 16.7% to $.345 up to January, 1922. In July, 1914, 
the average hourly earnings of male skilled labor were $.246. 
They increased 154% to $.626 by February, 1921, and declined 
12.3% to $.549 from the latter period up to January, 1922. In 
July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of women were $.171. 
By February, 1921, they had increased 154% to $.434. The 
decline from this period up to January, 1922 amounted to 
14.3%, making the average hourly earnings at that time $.372. 
By January, 1922, therefore, the percentages of increase for these 
three groups respectively were 84%, 123% and 118% over the 
1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of all wage earners were $11.60. By June, 1920, they 
had risen 111% to $24.43. The decline from this period up to 
January 1, 1922 was 8.2%, making the average weekly earnings 
$22.43 or 93% above the July, 1914 level. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $9.86. By June, 1920, they had increased 99% to 
$19.61, falling again 18.8% to $15.93 by January, 1922. In 

132 



JULY 

1914 



90 








BO 










TO 










60 








/ 






/ 


50 








/ / 






/ / 


40 




/ / 




/ // 


30 
20 


/ 




// 




7 




10 










n 






IS 


iLY 

14 




00LLA1 
PER WE 

50 


!8 








45 










40 










35 










30 










E5 




/ 




/ / 


20 
15 
10 




/ / 


/ 


/ // 


'/// 
W 


V 




5 


















Boot and Shoe Manufacturing 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 




JUN. JUL. AUG. S 



P OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB MAR. APR. MAY JUN JUL AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC. 



I92D 1321 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 



- — AjR* 




^l£NZ 



JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT: NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. 3ER OCT. NOV DEC . 



1920 



1921 



(National Industrial Conference Board) 

133 



Composite Payroll Data- 


—Boot and Shoe Manufacturing 




Number Wage 












Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Hours 


vv rtgco 

(All Wage Earners) 


One 
Week 


1914-22 
Establ. 

(77 
plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 

(101 

plants) 


Av. 

Week 

Per 
Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


41,169 




53.1 


54.5 


54.5 


$.218 


$11.60 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


46,083 


55,629 


47.3 


48.2 


48.5 


.517 


24.43 


237 


211 


July.... 


42,015 


49,865 


46.1 


47.1 


47.7 


.519 


23.90 


238 


206 


Aug 


40,055 


48,431 


45.1 


46.2 


48.3 


.519 


23.37 


238 


201 


Sept.... 


36,658 


44,619 


44.3 


46.6 


48.4 


.514 


22.78 


236 


196 


Oct 


35,032 


42,708 


43.0 


45.5 


48.6 


.511 


21.95 


234 


189 


Nov 


32,841 


40,177 


41.7 


43.3 


48.6 


.516 


21.52 


237 


186 


Dec. ... 


33,251 


39,867 


41.2 


41.5 


48.6 


.523 


21.54 


240 


186 


1921 




















Jan 


30,892 


36,791 


40.1 


41.3 


48.4 


.545 


21.85 


250 


188 


Feb.... 


35,336 


42,760 


44.0 


45.8 


48.7 


.550 


24.20 


252 


209 


Mar 


36,519 


44,456 


44.8 


45.7 


48.5 


.544 


24.38 


250 


210 


April . . . 


36,699 


45,118 


45.7 


46.9 


48.5 


.516 


23.56 


237 


203 


May . . . 


38,428 


47,454 


47.3 


48.1 


48.6 


.493 


23.35 


226 


201 


June . . . 


40,092 


49,330 


47.4 


48.3 


48.5 


.490 


23.23 


225 


200 


July*... 


42,252 


51,238 


47.2 


48.2 


48.5 


.474 


22.36 


217 


193 


Aug.... 


43,986 


53,482 


47.4 


48.2 


48.3 


.485 


22.98 


222 


198 


Sept.... 


44,479 


53,639 


46.9 


47.7 


48.5 


.484 


22.70 


222 


196 


Oct 


43,387 


52,646 


46.2 


48.3 


49.0 


.478 


22.06 


219 


190 


Nov 


45,130 


54,048 


45.9 


47.1 


48.3 


.471 


21.60 


216 


186 


Dec. .. . 


46,484 


55,397 


46.9 


48.0 


48.8 


.479 


22.43 


220 


193 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 



July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male skilled labor 
were $13.18. By June, 1920, they had increased 113% to 
$28.01. The decline from this point up to January, 1922 was 
8.2%, making the average weekly earnings $25.72 at the latter 
period. In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of women 
!.97. By March, 1921, they had increased 115% to 



were 



$19.32. The decline from this period up to January, 1922, 
amounted to 9.6%, leaving the average earnings $17.47 at the 
latter period. By January, 1922, therefore, the average weekly 
earnings of these three groups had increased respectively 62%, 
95% and 95% over the July, 1914 levels. 

134 



THOUSANDS 

ED — 



55 
5D 
45 
4D 
35 
3D 
25 
20 
15 
ID 



JULY 

iei4 



60 



55 



5D 



45 



40 



35 



30 



25 

JULY 

1914- 



Boot and Shoe Manufactur ng 

NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS 




JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV DEC . JAN. F 

1320 1921 

AVERAGE HOURS OF WORK 



NOMINAL WEEK 




JU N. JUL. AUG. 3EP OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL . AUS. SEP O CT. NOV. DEC 

I9SQ 1321 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

135 



Employment 

Total employment remained practically stationary. During 
1920 there was a rapid decline in total employment, but dur- 
ing 1921 there was a gradual return of employees, so that in 
December, 1921, total employment stood at approximately 
the same figure as in June, 1920. A large increase was noted 
in male common labor, with slight declines occurring in skilled 
labor and women. 

Employment increased 9.3% in identical establishments be- 
tween July, 1914 and the end of the year 1921. 

Hours 

The average hours of the nominal week in July, 1914 were 
54.5. Except for slight variations in a few months, a practically 
stationary level of 48.5 hours was maintained from June, 1920 
up to January, 1922. 

The average actual hours oj plant operation showed a reduction 
from 54.5 to 48.2 hours in June, 1920. During 1920 there was 
a sharp reduction in plant activity. The year 1921 was marked 
by considerable fluctuations in plant operation, but on the 
whole, it would seem that the industry has recovered from the 
general effects of the industrial depression. 

The average week per wage earner dropped from 53.1 to 47.3 
hours in July, 1920. The trend closely followed that of plant 
activity, there being a decline during 1920, and increases dur- 
ing 1921, with wide fluctuations characterizing the whole trend. 

Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in the boot and shoe industry 
shows that: 

1. The average hourly earnings of all wage earners on Janu- 
ary 1, 1922 were $.479, or 120% above the 1914 level of $.218. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 were $22.43 or 93% above the 1914 level of $11.60. 

3. The declines from the peak, of 12.9% in hourly earnings, 
and 8.2% in weekly earnings, were far less than the general 
average found in many other basic industries. 

136 



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137 



4. Employment in December, 1921, stood at the same level 
as in June, 1920, there having been a decided decrease during 
1920 and a marked increase during 1921. While hourly earnings 
declined, weekly earnings and working hours were well sustained. 

5. The boot and shoe industry during 1921 was marked by 
considerable fluctuations, but, on the whole, showed a gradual 
tendency to improvement as compared with the conditions in 
1920. 



138 



XIII 

MEAT PACKING 

The wage investigation in the meat packing industry in- 
cluded those establishments engaged in the slaughtering, dress- 
ing and packing of meats. Returns were received from 50 
plants, 47 of which supplied material for the last wage in- 
vestigation. The largest number of wage earners employed in 
any one month in the 50 establishments was 36,139 in June, 
1920. Thus, over 21% of the wage earners reported by the 1919 
Census of Manufactures for the packing industry are covered 
in this report. The data are representative of the industry, 
covering 10 of the largest plants in the Chicago stock yards, 
and a good selection of independent plants scattered through 
the country. The geographical distribution of plants within 
22 states is as follows: 

California 1 Missouri 3 

Colorado 1 " New Jersey 1 

Illinois 13 New York 1 

Indiana 2 Ohio 4 

Iowa 3 Oklahoma 1 

Kansas 2 Pennsylvania 5 

Kentucky 1 Rhode Island 1 

Maine 1 Tennessee 1 

Massachusetts 1 Texas 1 

Michigan 1 West Virginia 2 

Minnesota 2 Wisconsin 2 

Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.216. By July, 1920, they 
had risen 171% to $.586. They declined 23.9% from the latter 
period up to January, 1922, at which time the average hourly 
earnings were $.446, an increase of 106% over July, 1914. A 
general high level of hourly earnings was maintained during the 
last half of 1920. In March, 1921, a marked decline was shown, 
principally as a result of the \2}4% to 15% wage reduction 
made in the Chicago meat packing industry. The minimum 

139 



wage for this locality dropped from 5.53 to 5.45 an hour. As 
ten of the largest companies included in the present investiga- 
tion are Chicago meat packing houses, the entire wage trend 
was affected by this local situation. The drop in weekly earnings 
is also due to the wage cut made at this rime. The general 
trend of hourly earnings during the last half of 1921 was gradu- 
ally downward, with a reduction of 3>< cents occurring in 
December. 

In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings ot male common 
labor were 5.183. In June, 1920, they had increased 197^ ov ^r 
July, 1914, to 5.544. From June, 1920 up to January, 1922, 
they declined 31.1% to 5.387. In July, 1914, the average 
hourly earnings of male skilled labor were 5.269. By June, 
1920, they had increased 148^ c to 5.667. They declined 20.1% 
from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922, bringing 
the average earnings down to 5.533. In July, 1914, the aver- 
age hourly earnings of r j:omen were 5.123. In October and 
November, 1920, they had reached 5.432, an increase ot 251 c ^. 
The decline from these peaks up to January, 1922, amounted 
to 33.1% 3 the average earnings at the beginning of 1922 being 
5.289. By January, 1922, theretore, the average hourly earn- 
ings for these three groups had increased respectively 111% 3 
98% and 135% over the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: Average weekly earnings of all zvage 
earners in July, 1914, were 512.0". By July, 1920, they had 
risen 137 c 7 to 528.66. The decline was 24. 6 C ^ from the latter 
period up to January, 1922, at which time the average weekly 
earnings were 521.62, a net increase of 79 c 7 over July, 1914. 
The trend of weekly earnings throughout the last half of 1920 
and the entire year of 1921 was gradually downward, and was 
affected by the decline in hourly earnings rather than by a 
shortening oi working hours. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were 510.25. In September, 1920, they had risen 160 c 7- 
over July, 1914, to 526.63. From September, 1920 up to 
January, 1922, they declined 29.9% 3 to 518.66. In July, 1914, 
the average weekly earnings of male skilled labor were 515.12. 
By July, 1920, they had increased 119 c 7 to 533.04, declining to 
526.19 or 20.3% from the latter period up to the beginning of 

140 



CENTS 

PER HOUR 

100 



90 
BO 
TO 
BO 
50 
40 
30 
EO 
10 






JULY 

1914 

DOLLARS 
PER WEEK 

50, — 



45 
40 
35 
3D 
£5 
EO 
15 
10 
5 



Meat Packing 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 



JUN.JUL. AUG. S 



P. OCT. NOV. D 



\ 







C. JAN. FEB. MAP. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. OEC. 



I9EI 
AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 



JULY 

1314 




1920 I9EI 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

141 



Composite Payroll Data — Meat Packing 



Period 


Number Wage 

Earners 

Employed 


Average Hours 


Wages 
(All Wage Earners) 


One 

Week 

In 


1914-22 

Establ. 
(29 

plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 
(50 

plants) 


Av. 

Week 

Per 

Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


21,349 




55.9 


58.8 


59.3 


$.216 


$12.07 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


30,464 


36,139 


48.9 


49.6 


49.1 


.583 


28.52 


270 


236 


July.... 


30,662 


36,122 


48.9 


49.5 


49.1 


.586 


28.66 


271 


237 


Aug 


30,559 


35,898 


47.6 


48.9 


49.1 


.580 


27.62 


269 


229 


Sept. .. . 


30,025 


35,269 


49.2 


49.3 


49.1 


.579 


28.49 


268 


236 


Oct 


30,046 


35,277 


49.4 


50.0 


49.2 


.577 


28.47 


267 


236 


Nov.. . . 


29,013 


34,327 


48.6 


49.5 


49.4 


.582 


28.32 


269 


235 


Dec. .. . 


27,982 


33,241 


47.3 


48.5 


49.1 


.574 


27.13 


266 


225 


1921 




















Tan 


25,834 


30,972 


48.2 


49.2 


49.3 


.568 


27.34 


263 


227 


Feb. . .. 


25,735 


30,713 


45.8 


48.0 


49.3 


.568 


26.06 


263 


216 


March.. 


24,011 


28,693 


47.2 


48.5 


49.3 


.518 


24.44 


240 


202 


April . . . 


22,112 


26,436 


47.2 


48.7 


49.4 


.507 


23.93 


235 


198 


May . . . 


23,441 


27,993 


46.1 


48.7 


49.4 


.503 


23.22 


233 


192 


June . . . 


23,842 


28,458 


48.2 


49.4 


49.6 


.493 


23.74 


228 


197 


July*... 


25,247 


29,700 


47.0 


47.0 


47.9 


.484 


22.73 


224 


188 


Aug 


25,336 


29,703 


46.3 


46.6 


48.1 


.486 


22.48 


225 


186 


Sept. . . . 


26,034 


30,483 


46.8 


47.5 


48.0 


.487 


22.81 


225 


189 


Oct 


26,351 


30,952 


47.2 


47.6 


47.9 


.485 


22.89 


225 


190 


Nov. . . . 


24,897 


30,410 


47.0 


47.6 


48.0 


4.81 


22.62 


223 


187 


Dec... 


22,310 


26,760 


48.5 


48.2 


47.9 


.446 


21.62 


206 


179 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 

1922. In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of women were 
$6.68. By October, 1920, they had increased 212% to $20.89. 
The decline from this peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 
35.3%, the average earnings at the beginning of 1922 being 
$13.52. By January, 1922, therefore, the average weekly 
earnings for these three groups had increased respectively 
82%, 73% and 102% over July, 1914 levels. 



Employment 

The total decline in employment from June, 1920 up to 
January, 1922 was 26%. The trend shows a steady decline 
from the peak through April, 1921. The spring and summer 
months of 1921 showed an increase in the number of wage 

142 



Meat Packing 

MBER OF WAGE EAR 



*+u 




30 






S5 


/ 


/ 

/ 


80 






15 






10 






5 






n 




Ji 


JLY 



45 



40 



35 



30 



£5 



july~ 
I9»4 





JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV DEC . 

I3S0 1921 

AVERAGE HOURS OF WORK 











































AC" 


"UAL 


WE 


EK i 


3F 




























PLAMT 
































































*s 


■■tfri 




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s 




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AC 


nJAL WEEK PER 




























V\ 


fAGE 


. EA 


RNt 


M 



























































































































JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. OEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUB. SEP. OCT. NO V DEC. 

1920 I9SI 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 
143 



earners employed. In December, 1921, however, a severe cur- 
tailment in working forces occurred, which was most marked 
in the male skilled labor group. The largest decline in em- 
ployment from the peak, however, occurred among women, 
there being a decrease of 44.4% in the number employed. 

Employment in identical establishments between July, 
1914, and the end of the year 1921, increased 4.5%. The 
decline in these same establishments between June, 1920, and 
January, 1922, was 26.8%. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 59.3 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. Following the general reduction in length of working 
hours during the war period, the nominal week fell to 49.1 
hours in June, 1920, and a general level of slightly more than 
49 hours was maintained through June, 1921. In July, 1921, 
there was a further decline in the hours of the nominal week 
to approximately 48 hours, which was maintained till the close 
of the year 1921. 

Average hours of plant operation in July, 1914, were 58.8 hours. 
By June, 1920, they had been reduced to 49.6 hours. There 
were considerable fluctuations in the hours of plant opera- 
tion, but on the whole they held close to the average hours of 
the nominal week. The meat packing industry was little 
affected, therefore, by the economic depression existing in 
basic industries. The demand for meat and meat products 
was fairly steady, even though industry in general was passing 
through a period of retrenchment. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline from 
55.9 hours in July, 1914, to 48.9 hours in June, 1920. The trend 
during 1920 and 1921 closely followed that of plant activity. 
A marked increase in actual working hours occurred in Decem- 
ber, 1921. On the whole, hours in the meat packing industry 
showed only a slight decline in comparison with the large reduc- 
tion of hours in metal working trades and textiles during the 
depression period. 

144 



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145 



Conclusion 

A study of wages and hours in the meat packing industry 
shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $.446, or 106% above the July, 1914 level of $.216. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $21.62, or 79% above the July, 1914 level' of 

$12.07. 

3. Employment declined 26% from the peak up to Jan- 
uary, 1922. 

4. The trend of hours remained fairly steady during 1920 
and 1921. 

5. The general wage reduction is fairly comparable with 
that in many other basic industries. 



146 



XIV 

CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING 
A. Chemicals 

Wage data in this industry cover establishments engaged 
in the manufacture of acids, salts, dyestuffs, and other chemical 
products. An analysis of wage conditions in fertilizer manu- 
facturing has been made in a separate section Returns were 
received from 74 establishments, of which all but one furnished 
information for the last wage investigation. The largest num- 
ber of wage earners employed in any one month was 17,232 
in July, 1920. Thus, approximately 26% of the wage earners 
reported by the 1919 Census of Manufactures for the chemical 
industry are covered in this report. The geograph cal distri- 
bution within 22 states and the District of Columbia is as 
follows : 

Alabama 1 Massachusetts 5 

California 2 Michigan 2 

Missouri 2 

New Jersey 17 

New York 12 

North Carolina 1 

Ohio 5 

Pennsylvania 8 

Rhode Island 1 

Indiana 2 West Virginia 3 

Kentucky ; 2 Wisconsin 2 

Maryland '. 2 

Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, average hourly earn- 
ings of all wage earners were $.226. By August, 1920, they had 
increased 161% to $.589. The decline from the latter period 
up to January, 1922 amounted to 22.9%, leaving the average 
hourly earnings at $.454, an increase of 101% over July, 1914. 
The decline was gradual throughout the entire period, the 
most severe reductions in hourly earnings occurring in January, 
February and March, 1921. 

147 



Colorado. 

Connecticut 

Delaware 

District of Columbia. 

Georgia 

Kansas 

Illinois 



The average hourly earnings of male common labor in July-, 
1914 were $.214. By August, 1920 they had increased 161% 
to $.559. The decline from the latter period up to January, 
1922 was 26.1% to $.413. In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $.266. By August, 1920, 
they had increased 149% to $.662, and declined 19.9% to $.530 
from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 
1914, the average hourly earnings of women were $.133. By 
June, 1920, they had increased 156% to $.340. The decline 
from this peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 13.5%, the 
average earnings at the beginning of 1922 being $.294. By 
January, 1922, therefore, the average hourly earnings of these 
three groups had increased respectively 93%, 99% and 121% 
over the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were $12.77. By September, 1920, 
they had increased 137% to $30.25. The decline from the latter 
period up to January, 1922 was 22.3%, leaving the average 
weekly earnings at $23.49, a net increase of 84% over July, 
1914. The trend showed a gradual decline from the peak during 
1921. Although hourly earnings decreased, the lengthening of 
working hours maintained average weekly earnings. 

For specific groups of employees, the study shows that in 
July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common labor 
were $11.89. By August, 1920, they had increased 138% to 
$28.34. From the latter period up to January, 1922 they 
declined 23.6% to $21.66. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $15.59. By September, 1920, 
they had increased 131% to $36.07, and from the latter period up 
to the beginning of 1922 declined 24.5% to $27.22. In July, 
1914, the average weekly earnings of women were $6.99. By 
September, 1920, they had increased 103% to $14.19. The 
decline from this peak up to 1922 amounted to 0.8%, the aver- 
age earnings being $14.07. By January, 1922, therefore, the 
weekly earnings for these three groups had increased respec- 
tively 82%, 75% and 101% over the July, 1914 levels. 

Employment 

Total employment in the establishments declined 38.1% from 
June, 1920 up to the beginning of 1922. The percentages of 

148 



Chemical Manufacturing 



CENTS 
PER HOUR 




AVERAGE HOURLY 


EARNINGS 














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BO 
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40 
30 
20 
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14 I92D 

AVERAGE W 


:C. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL AUG. "SEP OCT. NOV. DEC. 


1921 
EEKLY EARNINGS 






















































































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JUN. JUL. AUG. E 


EP. OCT. 1 


TV [ 


EC. J 
1 

ll ( 

149 


AN. FEB. 


:P n 


rr. Nov. t 


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1914 


132 


ati 


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1) 















Composite Payroll Data — ChemicaV Manufacturing 





Number Wage 














■ 


Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Av 


;rage Hours 


wages 
(All Wage Earners) 


One 
Week 


1914-22 
Establ. 

(55 
plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 

(74 

plants) 


Av. 
Week 

. Per 
Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- -, 

nal 
Week i 


Av. 
My. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 
Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


6,344 




56.4 


94.3 


56.6 $ 


226 


$12.77 


100 


100 


1920 




















Tune . . . 


12,812 


17,068 


50.4 


97.8 


51.6 


580 


29.24 


257 


229 


July.... 


12,974 


17,232 


50.9 


96.9 


51.6 


588 


29.90 


260 


234 


Aug. . . . 


12,634 


16,634 


51.2 


100.7 


51.6 


589 


30.16 


261 


236 


Sept.... 


12,632 


16,250 


51.7 


99.2 


51.5 


585 


30.25 


259 


237 


Oct 


13,140 


16,377 


51.9 


99.6 


51.8 


576 


29.87 


255 


234 


Nov.... 


12,096 


14,962 


49.8 


97.5 


52.4 


576 


28.69 


255 


225 


Dec... 


9,443 


11,862 


46.9 


91.0 


52.4 


571 


26.80 


253 


210 


1921 




















Jan 


7,812 


9,837 


46.8 


89.8 


52.3 


544 


25 . 50 


241 


200 


Feb ... . 


7,859 


9,814 


47.9 


85.8 


52.1 


526 


25.18 


233 


197 


March. . 


7,732 


9,614 


50.1 


86.4 


52.7 


500 


25.01 


221 


196 


April . . . 


7,263 


8,984 


49.6 


87.9 


52.1 


496 


24.64 


219 


193 


May . . . 


7,377 


8,863 


48.8 


87.0 


52 . 5 


490 


23.90 


217 


187 


June . . . 


7,207 


8,774 


49.9 


90.9 


52.5 


485 


24.20 


215 


190 


July*... 


7,204 


8,911 


50.0 


92.1 


51.2 


481 


24.08 


213 


189 


Aug. . . . 


7,666 


9,281 


49.8 


88.0 


51.7 


467 


23.28 


207 


182 


Sept. . . . 


7,714 


9,237 


51.0 


86.9 


51.1 


466 


23.73 


206 


186 


Oct 


8,580 


10,435 


52.1 


89.4 


51.0 


453 


23.63 


200 


185 


Nov.... 


8,834 


10,773 


51.2 


89.9 


51.3 


450 


23.07 


199 


181 


Dec... 


8,647 


10,568 


51.8 


93.2 


51.7 


454 


23.49 


201 


184 



N See Introduction, 



p. >. 



decline in the three groups during this period were as follows: 
male common labor, 35. 3^7; male skilled abor, 40.3%; women, 
46%. 

Employment in identical establishments between July, 1914, 
and the end of the year increased 36.3 C 7- 



Hours 

In July, 1914, 56.6 hours constituted the average nominal ' zveek. 
Following a decline of hours during the war period, by June, 
1920 the average nominal week dropped to 51.6 hours. This 
general level was maintained through October, 1920, but in 
November there was an increase to 52.4 hours, and the general 

1 50 



Chemical Manufacturing 

NUMBER DF WABE EARNERS 



1 o 

IE 






14 






12 


; 


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JO 


/ 


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JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAP. APR. MAY JUN. JU L. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV DEC . 

1920 1921 







AVERAGE 


: HDU 


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JUN. JUL. AUB. 3EP DCT. NOV DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUB. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC 

I9ECJ I92I 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

151 



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152 



average of over 52 hours was maintained through June, 1921. 
The last six months of 1921 showed a decline below 52 hours. 

The average hours of plant operation increased in this two-shift 
industry from 94.3 in July, 1914, to 97.8 in June, 1920. Plant 
hours were well sustained through November, 1920. The year 
1921 was marked by a much lower level. The tendency, dur- 
ing the last three months of 1921, was toward a resumption 
of more normal activity. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline 
from 56.4 in July, 1914, to 50.4 in June, 1920. Working hours 
were somewhat irregular during 1920-21. The last six months 
of 1921 showed a return to more normal and sustained work- 
ing hours. 



Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in chemical manufacturing 
shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at $.454 or 101% above the July, 1914 level of $.226. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $23.49 or 84% above the July, 1914 level of 

$12.77. 

3. The wage reductions, of 22.9% in hourly earnings and 
22.3% in weekly earnings, from the peaks were in general 
accord with reductions in many basic industries. 

4. Employment decreased 38.1% from June, 1920 to the 
beginning of January, 1922, showing the effect of the indus- 
trial depression upon this industry. 

5. The gradual increase of working hours during the latter 
half of 1921 helped maintain weekly earnings at a more or 
less stationary level. 



153 



B. Fertilizer Manufacturing 

Conditions in establishments manufacturing agricultural 
chemicals and fertilizers are so different from those in other 
branches of chemical manufacturing that separate classifica- 
tion has been made of this industry. The fertilizer industry is 
generally confined to plants in southern states employing a 
large proportion of common labor. Seasonal fluctuations are 
characteristic of this industry, and naturally all wage data 
are affected by such changes. A total of 51 plants was covered 
out of the 66 establishments which furnished data for the last 
wage investigation. The largest number of wage earners em- 
ployed in any one month in the 51 establishments was 6,152 
in August, 1920. The number of female wage earners was not 
tabulated, as the total number in this group is relatively small. 
Thus, approximately 27% of the wage earners reported by the 
1919 Census of Manufactures for the fertilizer industry are 
covered in this report. The geographical distribution within 
21 states is as follows: 

Alabama 1 New Hampshire 1 

Arkansas 1 New Jersey 3 

California 3 New York 1 

Connecticut 1 

Florida 3 

Georgia 11 

Illinois 1 

Indiana 1 

Louisiana 1 

Maryland 2 

Michigan 1 

Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.206. By September, 1920 
they had risen 136% to $.486. The decline from the latter 
period up to January, 1922 was 38.1%, at which time the 
average hourly earnings were $.301, an increase of 46% over 
July, 1914. The trend of hourly earnings showed a well-sustained 
level through November, 1920. Beginning in December, wage 
adjustments began to take effect, with more severe reductions 
occurring throughout 1921. 

In July, 1914 the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.196. By September, 1920 they had increased 
137% to $.464. The decline from the latter period up to 

154 



North Carolina . 


5 


Ohio . . 


6 


Pennsylvania 


1 


South Carolina 


5 


Tennessee. 


1 


Texas 


1 


Virginia 


1 



CENTS 
PER HOUR 

100 



90 
60 
70 
ED 
5D 
40 
30 

20 

10 



Fertilizer Manufacturing 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 




y ^ 

-ALL WABEEARKjceg 



JULY 

1914 

DOLLARS 

PER WEEK 

50r 



45 
40 
35 
30 
£5 
2D 
15 
10 
5 




JUhTJUL. AUG, SEP OCT, NOV DEC JAN.FEB.MAR: APR M AY JUN. JUL AUG. SEP OCT NO V. DEC 



I92D 1921 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 




JULY 

1914 




JUNJUL^AUG. SEP OCT' NOV. DEC. JA N. FEB. M AR APR MAY JUN JL1> 

1920 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

155 



Composite Payroll Data — Fertilizer Manufacturing 





Number Wage 






Wages 
\11 Wage Earner 




Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Hours 


( 





One 
Week 


1914-22 
Establ. 

(35 
plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 

(61 

plants) 


Av. 

Week 

Per 
Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 
Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 
Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


2,951 




55.4 


59.4 


60.0 


$.206 


$11.42 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


3,480 


4,540 


53.7 


55.7 


55.8 


.473 


25.40 


230 


222 


July.... 


3,710 


4,882 


55.4 


58.0 


56.4 


.474 


26.22 


230 


230 


Aug.... 


4,624 


6,152 


53.3 


56.2 


56.1 


.480 


25.55 


233 


224 


Sept.... 


4,208 


5,628 


54.0 


55.5 


55.6 


.486 


26.27 


236 


230 


Oct 


3,941 


5,281 


53.4 


53.7 


55.6 


.478 


25.53 


232 


224 


Nov 


3,635 


4,871 


52.6 


55.0 


55.3 


.474 


24.96 


230 


219 


Dec. .. . 


3,570 


4,576 


54.5 


54.7 


55.2 


.450 


24.53 


218 


215 


1921 




















Jan 


3,136 


4,134 


52.0 


54.0 


55.3 


.398 


20.71 


193 


181 


Feb.... 


3,242 


4,110 


51.0 


54.2 


55.5 


.381 


19.41 


185 


170 


March.. 


4,050 


5,540 


49.9 


54.1 


55.1 


.350 


17.45 


170' 


153 


April . . . 


3,199 


4,179 


48.7 


53.7 


55.1 


.343 


16.68 


167 


146 


May . . . 


1,994 


2,565 


51.3 


54.2 


55.3 


.341 


17.29 


166 


151 


June. . . 


1,819 


2,309 


51.0 


51.0 


55.4 


.340 


17.33 


165 


152 


July*... 


1,777 


2,159 


49.9 


53.0 


54.9 


.342 


17.07 


166 


149 


Aug. . . . 


1,886 


2,370 


50.0 


53.1 


55.0 


.329 


16.46 


160 


144 


Sept. . . . 


2,366 


3,046 


49.9 


54.5 


54.7 


.316 


15.74 


153 


138 


Oct 


2,106 


2,921 


50.9 


54.2 


54.5 


.305 


15.53 


148 


136 


Nov. . . . 


1,867 


2,648 


50.8 


53.5 


54*. 6 


.312 


15.86 


151 


139 


Dec. . . . 


2,076 


2,955 


52.4 


54.3 


54.6 


.301 


15.78 


146 


138 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 



January, 1922, was 42% to $.269. In July, 1914, the average 
hourly earnings of ?nale skilled labor were $.223. By August 
1920 they had risen 165% to $.592 declining 32.8% to $.398 
from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. By Janu-- 
ary, 1922, therefore, the average hourly earnings of male com- 
mon labor and male skilled labor had increased respectively 
37% c and 78% over the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were $11.42. By September, 1920 
they had increased 130% to $26.27. The decline from the latter 
period up to January, 1922 was 39.9%, at which time the 
average weekly earnings were $15.78, a net increase of 38% 
over July, 1914. Weekly earnings maintained a high level 
through October, 1920. Beginning in November, due to reduc- 

156 



B.500 



Fertilizer Manufacturing 

NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS 



6.DO0 
5.5DD 
5,000 
4,500 
4.0DD 
3,500 
3,000 
2,500 
2.00D 
1.500 
1,000 
500 



JULY 

1914 



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JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC . 

1320 1321 
AVERAGE HOURS DF WORK 



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1914 













































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JUN. JUL. AUG SEP OCT NOV OEC. JAN. FEB. MAR APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUS. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . 

I92E 1321 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

157 



tions in both hourly earnings and working hours, decreases 
began to occur. In January, 1921, weekly earnings decreased 
more severely. A slight revival occurred in May and June, 
followed again by continued decline in weekly earnings through- 
out the remainder of 1921. 

In July, 1914 the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were Si 0.66. By September, 1920 they had increased 
129^7 to 524.43. From the latter period up to January, 1922 
they declined 44 f 7 to 513.67. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $12. S3. By August, 1920, 
they had reached $36.01, an increase of 181 f 7? declining 36.9 f 7 
to $22. ~4 from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. 
By January, 1922, therefore, the weekly earnings lor male 
common and male skilled labor had increased respectively 
28 r c and 77^ over the July, 1914 levels. 

Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered declined 
34.9^ from June, 1920 up to the beginning of 1922. The 
decline in male common labor amounted to 37.1 r <J and in male 
skilled labor 26.7°^. Except for a slight increase in March, 
1921, the general trend of employment was steadily downward 
to July, 1921. The last months of 1921 showed a considerable 
increase in working forces. 

Employment in identical establishments declined 29.7 C 7 be- 
tween July, 1914 and the end of the year 1921. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 60 hours constituted the average nominal week. 

By June, 1920, the hours declined to 55.8 and the general level 
of more than 55 hours was maintained up to July, 1921. The 
last six months of 1921 with the exception of August, showed a 
decline to a general level of approximately 54.5 hours. 

The average hours of plant operation declined from 59.4 hours in 
July, 1914 to 55.7 hours in June, 1920. It should be noted that 
in July, 1914, at the height of the spring season, the average 
hours of plant operation were higher than those of the nominal 
week. Beginning in October, 1920, there was a decline in plant 
activity which continued through April, 1921. Ma}" showed 

158 



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considerable increase followed again by a decline in the summer 
months. The last six months of 1921 showed a sustained level 
of from 53 to 54 hours per week. 

The average week per wage earner showed a decline from 55.4 
hours in July, 1912 to 53.7 hours in June, 1920. The trend 
from June, 1920 closely followed that of plant activity. The 
effect of the industrial depression was shown in working hours, 
particularly during the last six months of 1921. 

Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in the fertilizer manufacturing 
industry shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at $.301 or 46% above the July, 1914 level of $.206. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at $15.78 or 38% above the July 1914 level of $11.42. 

3. The reductions from the peak, of 38.1% in hourly earn- 
ings and 39.9% in weekly earnings, were far greater than the 
average in many basic industries. 

4. Employment declined 34.9% from June, 1920 up to 
the beginning of 1922. 

5. The fertilizer industry has been very directly affected 
by the industrial depression. The deflation of agricultural prices 
curtailed the buying power and credit of farmers and the con- 
sequence was an early cessation of demand for agricultural 
chemicals. The tendency within the industry was to reduce 
employment rather than to curtail plant activity. 

6. While the industry was directly affected by industrial 
conditions, the indirect effects of seasonal fluctuations were 
shown in the irregularities of employment and plant activity. 



160 



XV 

PAINT AND VARNISH MANUFACTURING 

The wage investigation in this industry covered plants en- 
gaged in the manufacture of white lead, colors, paint and 
varnish. Returns were received from 58 plants, 54 of which 
supplied material for the last investigation. The largest number 
of wage earners employed in any one month in the 58 estab- 
lishments was 3,978 in August, 1921. Thus, approximately 
17% of the wage earners listed in the 1919 Census of Manu- 
factures for the paint and varnish manufacturing industry are 
covered in this report. Geographically, the distribution within 
14 states is as follows: 

California 3 Missouri 4 

Colorado 1 New Jersey 4 

Delaware 1 New York 9 

Illinois 5 Ohio 11 

Indiana 2 Pennsylvania 8 

Massachusetts 3 Texas 1 

Michigan 4 Wisconsin 2 



Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.272. By July, 1920 they 
had risen 112% to $.578. The decline was 11.2% from the 
latter period up to January, 1922, at which time the average 
hourly earnings were $.513, an increase of 89% over July, 1914. 
The decline throughout 1920 and 1921 was moderate and 
gradual, and far less than in many other basic industries. 

In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.252. By July, 1920, they had increased 119% 

161 



over July, 1914 to $.551. From July, 1920 up to January, 
1922 they declined 14.7% to $.47. In July, 1914, the average 
hourly earnings of male skilled labor were $.351. By June, 
1920, they had risen 102% to $.71 and from the latter period 
up to the beginning of 1922 declined 11% to $.632. In July, 
1914, the average hourly earnings of women were $.179. By 
January, 1921 they had risen 105% to $.367. The decline 
from this peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 6.5%, the 
average earnings at the beginning of 1922 being $.343. By 
January, 1922, therefore, the average hourly earnings for these 
three groups had increased respectively 87%, 80%, and 92% 
over the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were $13.96. By July, 1920, they 
had increased 101% to $28.00. They declined 14.2% from the 
latter period up to January, 1922, at which time the average 
weekly earnings were $24.03, a net increase of 72% over July, 
1914. The trend in weekly earnings was characterized by 
gradual and moderate declines resulting more from the reduc- 
tion in working hours than from wage decreases. 

In July, 1914 the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $13.03. In July, 1920, they had increased 110% to 
$27.34. From the latter period up to Januarys 1922 they 
declined 19.4% to $22.04. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of ?nale skilled labor were $17.88. By September, 1920, 
they had risen 87% to $33.38, and declined 10.1% to $30.02 fn m 
the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, 
the average weekly earnings of women were $8.74. In Novem- 
ber, 1920, they reached $16.77, an increase of 92%. They de- 
clined 10.4% from this peak up to January, 1922, when the 
average weekly earnings were $15.03. By January, 1922, 
therefore, the average hourly earnings for these three groups 
had increased respectively 69%, 68% and 72%, over the July, 

1914 levels. 

162 



CtNTS 
PER HOUR 

IDOr- 



90 
BO 
TO 
BO 
50 
40 
30 
20 



10 




Paint and Varnish Manufacturing 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 



JULY 

1914 




JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. F EB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC 



45 
40 
35 
30 
25 
20 
15 
10 
5 

n 








/ 


/ 
/ j 

/ // 


/ // 


/ // 


7 / 







I92D 1921 

AVERAGE WEEKLY I 



JULY 

1914 




1920 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

163 



Composite Payroll Data — 


Paint and Varnish Manufacturing 


Period 


Number Wage 
Earners Emnloverl 


Average Hours 


Wages (All Wage Earners) 


One 


1914-22 

Establ. 

(37 
plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 

(58 
plants) 


Av. 
Week 

Per 
Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


Week 
In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


1,073 




51.3 


52.1 


53.1 


$.272 


$13.96 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


1,838 


3,819 


48.6 


50.9 


49.6 


.575- 


27.93 


211 


200 


July.... 


1,855 


3,931 


48.4 


50.0 


49.9 


.578 


28.00 


212 


201 


Aug. . . . 


1,936 


3,978 


48.0 


49.4 


49.7 


.569 


27.31 


209 


196 


Sept.... 


1,963 


3,821 


48.1 


50.0 


50.0 


.568 


27.34 


209 


196 


Oct 


1,901 


3,603 


48.7 


50.4 


47.3 


.525 


24.81 


193 


178 


Nov 


1,729 


3,285 


48.0 


48.4 


49.4 


.555 


26.62 


204 


191 


Dec ... . 


1,586 


2,879 


46.9 


47.8 


49.6 


.558 


26.19 


205 


188 


1921 




















Jan 


1,472 


2,708 


45.7 


47.0 


49.4 


.555 


25.37 


204 


182 


Feb ... . 


1,488 


2,711 


46.3 


47.6 


49.4 


.546 


25.27 


201 


181 


March.. 


1,416 


2,673 


47.1 


48.0 


49.8 


.543 


25.58 


200 


183 


April. . . 


1,454 


2,708 


45.7 


48.2 


50.2 


.535 


24.43 


197 


175 


May . . . 


1,422 


2,704 


46.3 


46.9 


49.5 


.535 


24.79 


197 


178 


June . . . 


1,452 


2,732 


46.4 


47.5 


49.4 


.527 


24.46 


194 


175 


July*... 


1,420 


2,554 


46.5 


48.5 


49.9 


.526 


24.44 


193 


175 


Aug... . 


1,410 


2,521 


47.0 


48.4 


49.6 


.524 


24.63 


193 


176 


Sept 


1,391 


2,479 


46.8 


48.8 


49.7 


.525 


24.56 


193 


176 


Oct..... 


1,419 


2,508 


48.1 


48.9 


49.5 


.523 


25.14 


192 


180 


Nov. . . . 


1,385 


2,453 


46.4 


48.0 


49.6 


.522 


24.17 


192 


173 


Dec. ... 


1,310 


2,391 


46.8 


47.7 


49.8 


.513 


24.03 


189 


172 



k See Introduction, p. 2. 



Employment 

Total employment decreased 37.4% from June, 1920 up to 
January, 1922. The trend of employment shows a gradual 
curtailment of working forces during 1920 and 1921, the low 
level being reached at the close of the present study in Decem- 
ber, 1921. During the period from June, 1920, to the begin- 
ning of 1922, the numbers of male common labor employed 
dropped 42%, those of male skilled labor 27%, and of women 
37.2%. 

Employment in identical establishments between July, 1914 
and the end of the year 1921 increased 22.1%, but the decline 

164 



Paint and Varnish Manufacturing 



4.DD0 



3.5DD 



3,0D0 



2,5DD 



2.DDD 



I.5D0 



I.DOD 



SDD 



JULY 

1914 





NUM 


BER 


OF WAGE EARNERS 




















J 


U 
























L 










\ 


1 


i 
































































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"X 


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SKI 


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l 






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— 




— 


— 


















w 


ravi 


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PER WEEK 

BD 



55 



50 



45 



4D 



35 



30 



25 

JULY 

1314 



NOMINAUVVEOl 




AVERAGE HOURS OF WORK 



ACTUAL WEEK PER 
WAGE EARNER, 



JUN. JUL. AUG. 3EP OCT. NOV DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR.MAY JUN. JUL. AUG SEP. OCT NOV. DEC . 

iBsD iaei 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

165 



between June, 1920 and January 1, 1922 in these same es- 
tablishments amounted to 28.7%. 



Hours 

In July, 1914, 53.1 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. Following a general reduction in length of working hours 
during the war period, the workweek fell to 49.6 hours in June, 
1920 and the latter standard was practically maintained to 
the close of the year 1921. 

The average hours of plant operation in July, 1914 were 52.1. 
By June, 1920 they had been reduced to 50.9. By the beginning 
of 1921 there was a considerable decline in plant activity. 
There was a revival of production during the summer months 
of .1921, followed by a decrease at the close of the year. 

The average week per wage earner showed a decline from 51.3 
hours in July, 1914, to 48.6 hours in June, 1920. The depression 
which took effect in December, 1920 continued for the entire 
year, so that the average week per wage earner reached in 
December, 1921 the low level of 46.8 hours. There were slight 
increases during the spring and summer months of 1921. The 
decline in hours affected earnings more directly than did wage 
reductions, yet the tendency was to reduce the number of 
wage earners rather than to cut hours severely. 



Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in paint and varnish manu- 
facturing shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $.513, or 89% above the July, 1914 level of $.272. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $24.03, or 72% above the 1914 level of $13.96. 

166 



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167 



3. The decreases from the peak in 1920 to the beginning of 
1922, of 11.2% in hourly earnings and 14.2% in weekly earnings, 
were smaller than in many basic industries. The general ten- 
dency was to reduce hours rather than wages. 

4. Stagnation in demand caused a curtailment of working 
hours and a decrease of 37.4% in employment from June, 
1920 to January, 1922. 



168 



XVI 

PAPER MANUFACTURING 
A, Paper and Wood Pulp Manufacturing 

The data for this industry cover establishments producing 
paper and wood pulp. Secondary paper manufacturing has 
been treated in a separate industrial section, entitled "Paper 
Products Manufacturing." Returns were received from 118 
plants, 109 of which furnished information in the last wage 
investigation. The largest number of wage earners employed 
in any one month in the 118 establishments was 30,021 in July, 
1920. Thus, approximately 26% of the wage earners reported 
by the 1919 Census of Manufactures for the paper and wood 
pulp industry are covered in this report. The geographical dis- 
tribution within 17 states and Canada is as follows: 

Connecticut 2 New Jersey 6 

Illinois 1 New York 25 

Indiana 1 Ohio 9 

Iowa 1 Pennsylvania 6 

Maine 10 Vermont 4 

Massachusetts 26 Virginia 3 

Michigan 3 Washington 1 

Minnesota 1 Wisconsin 15 

New Hampshire 3 Canada 1 

Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.223. By November, 1920, 
they had increased 169% to $.600. The decline was 23.3% 
from the latter period up to January, 1922, at which time the 
average hourly earnings were $.460, an increase of 106% over 
July, 1914. A gradual decline took place from November, 1920, 
to April, 1921. In May, 1921, an average reduction of 4.3 
cents per hour occurred. The last six months of 1921 were 
characterized by further gradual reductions. 

In July, 1914 the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.204. By October, 1920, they had increased 173% 
to $.557. The decline from the latter period up to January, 
1922 was 30% to $.390. In July, 1914, the average hourly 

169 



earnings of male skilled labor- were $.264. By November, 1920, 
they had risen 146% to $.650, and declined 20% to $.520 from 
the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, 
the average hourly earnings of women were $.136. In July, 1920, 
they had risen 193% to $.399. The decline from this peak up 
to January, 1922 amounted to 21.1%, tlie average earnings 
at the beginning of 1922 being $.315. By January, 1922, there- 
fore, the average hourly earnings of these three groups had 
increased respectively 91%, 97% and 132% over July, 1914 
levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of 
all wage earners in July, 1914, were $12.14. By October, 1920, 
they had increased 158% to $31.27. The decline from the 
latter period up to January, 1922 was 22.7%, at which time 
the average weekly earnings were $24.17, a net increase of 99% 
over July, 1914. The general high level of weeklv earnings was 
maintained through 1920. In the spring of 1921 an extensive 
decline took place, due to reductions in hourly rates and a de- 
cline in working hours. The last six months of 1921 showed a 
gain in weekly earnings due to increases in working hours, 
although reductions in hourly rates continued. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $11.26. By October, 1920, they had increased 155% 
to $28.68. From the latter period up to January, 1922 they 
declined 28% to $20.64. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $15.13. By October, 1920, 
they had reached $34.80, an increase of 130%, and then de- 
clined 19.6% to $27.98 from the latter period up to the begin- 
ning of 1922. In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of 
women were $6.28. In July and September, 1920, they had in- 
creased 196% to $18.58. The decline from this peak up to 
January, 1922, amounted to 24.4%, the average wage at the 
beginning of 1922 being $14.04. By January, 1922, therefore, 
the weekly earnings for these three groups had increased 
respectively 84%, 85% and 124% over July, 1914 levels. 

Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered declined 
26.1% from June, 1920 up to the beginning of 1922. The per- 

170 



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j 


jyr 





Paper and Wood Pulp Manufacturing 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 




1920 



1921 
AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 




1914 



1920 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

171 



Composite Payroll Data — Paper and Wood Pulp Manufacturing 





Number Wage 












Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Hours 


wages 
(All Wage Earners) 


One 
Week 


1914-22 
Establ. 

(73 
plants) 


Total All 

Establ. 

(118 

plants) 


Av. 
Week 

Per 
Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 
Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


13,791 




54.5 


137.9 


56.5 


$.223 


$12.14 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


20,307 


29,824 


51.4 


142.4 


51.0 


.590 


30.35 


265 


250 


July.... 


20,363 


30,021 


51.7 


141.6 


51.0 


.591 


30.56 


265 


252 


Aug. ... 


20,234 


29,905 


52.0 


141.6 


50.9 


.595 


30.94 


267 


255 


Sept. . . . 


20,380 


29,952 


51.9 


141.7 


50.6 


.596 


30.91 


267 


255 


Oct 


20,346 


29,861 


52.4 


140.6 


51.1 


.597 


31.27 


268 


258 


Nov. . . . 


19,857 


29,275 


51.5 


139.0 


51.0 


.600 


30.85, 


269 


254 


Dec... 


19,198 


28,518 


48.7 


131.2 


50.5 


.599 


29.14 


269 


240 


1921 




















Jan 


17,185 


25,538 


48.2 


132.2 


50.9 


.596 


28.72 


267 


237 


Feb.... 


17,402 


25,160 


46.2 


130.0 


49.8 


.578 


26.71 


259 


220 


March.. 


16,229 


23,239 


44.8 


123.0 


50.4 


.565 


25.28 


253 


208 


April. . . 


16,189 


24,130 


45.4 


126.4 


50.5 


.555 


25.17 


249 


207 


May . . . 


14,615 


16,589 


47.5 


124.1 


51.3 


.512 


24.35 


230 


201 


June . . . 


13,984 


15,338 


46.4 


125.8 


51.2 


.509 


23.63 


228 


195 


July*... 


14,867 


17,247 


47.2 


124.9 


52.5 


.506 


23.89 


227 


197 


Aug.... 


15,066 


18,185 


48.9 


127.7 


51.9 


.488 


23.90 


219 


197 


Sept.... 


15,504 


19,417 


49.9 


131.1 


51.7 


.470 


23.44 


211 


193 


Oct 


16,213 


20,822 


53.1 


140.9 


51.2 


.458 


24.30 


205 


200 


Nov. . . . 


16,132 


21,798 


53.3 


140.7 


51.0 


.462 


24.62 


207 


203 


Dec. .. . 


16,360 


22,032 


52.6 


136.9 


51.4 


.460 


24.17 


206 


199 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 

centages of decline in the three groups during this period were as 
follows: male common labor, 22.8%; male skilled labor, 27.8%; 
and women, 26.9%. The lowest level of employment was 
reached during May and June, 1921, and was caused by 
strike conditions existing in many plants at that time. The 
last six months of 1921 showed a considerable increase in em- 
ployment. 

Employment in identical establishments between July, 1914 
and the end of the year 1921 increased 18.6%. 



Hours 

In July, 1914, 56.5 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. Following the general reduction of working hours during 

172 



Paper and Wood Pulp Manufacturing 



NUMBER OF WABE EARNERS 



30 






25 






20 




/ 
/ 


15 


/ 


/ 


10 






5 






n 




JL 

19 


LY 

14 


HOUR 
PERW 

T45 


3 
XK 




140 


^■"' 


^'^ 


135 






I3D 






IE5 






120 




^ — _____ 




p^___ 


55 








^"^^^ 


50 


^ 




45 






40 






JUN. JUL. AUG. SER OCT. N OV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SER OCT. NOV. DEC" . 

1920 1921 





. 


WERAGE 


: HOURS 


o 


FWORK 
















_.„■_. 




^ 


s 
























MM 


. 










s 


♦ 
» 




















i 

a 
■ 

/ 




N 












\ 

* 

1 


^ 


\ 














J 


■ 






















V 


\CTl 
3LAM 

/ 


JAL 

t a 
\ 


WEE 
per; 


K D 

iTia 


y 


/ 
























• 


/ 


\ 


S 
















































— 



1914 




JUN. JUL AUG. SEP QCT NOV DEC . JAN FEB. MAR. APP. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV PEC . 

1920 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

173 



the war period, there was a decline to 51 hours in June, 1920, 
and a general level of from 50-51 hours was maintained through 
June, 1921. In July, 1921, there was a sudden increase to 52.5 
hours and the following months showed a decline to the former 
level of slightly more than 51 hours. 

The average hours of plant operation increased from 137.9 
hours in July, 1914, to 142.4 hours in June, 1920. This general 
level of plant activity continued through October, 1920. The 
first six months of 1921 showed a continual decline in plant 
activity, and were affected particularly by strike conditions 
during May and June. The last six months of 1921 showed a 
steady increase in plant operation, except for a slight decline 
occurring in December, 1921. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline from 
54.5 hours in July, 1914, to 51.4 hours in June, 1920. The gen- 
eral trend of working hours followed the movement of plant 
activity. The last six months of 1921 were characterized by a 
steady increase in working hours except for a slight decline in 
December. Longer working hours increased the weekly earn- 
ings, although hourly rates were reduced. 

Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in paper and wood pulp manu- 
facturing shows that: 

1 . Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at S.460, or 106% above the July, 1914 level of 

$.223. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $24.17, or 99% above the July, 1914 level of 
512.14. 

3. The wage reductions of 23.3% in hourly earnings and 
22.7% in weekly earnings were in general accord with reduc- 
tions in many basic industries. 

4. Employment decreased more than 26% from June, 1920 
to the beginning of January, 1922. 

5. The last six months of 1921 were characterized by 
considerable increases in employment, working hours and pro- 
ductive activity. 

174 



1 


JO M 


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3 


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r~- cx> oo oo oo r-- ^o 


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wo wo CO CO CO CN 


r- co co co cn tH 
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cor^^wrin't 
Tfi i* ^h -H r~- r- 

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* . • • • • 
^» bD a +J > u 



175 



B. Paper Products Manufacturing 

The data for this industry are confined to establishments 
engaged in the manufacture of paper products, such as paper 
bags, cardboard and miscellaneous paper goods. Returns were 
received from 47 of the 56 plants covered in the last investiga- 
tion. The largest number of wage earners employed in any one 
month in the 47 establishments was 7,080 in October, 1920. 
Thus, approximately 23.5% of the wage earners reported by the 
1919 Census of Manufactures for the paper product industry 
are covered in this report. The geographical distribution 
within 14 states is as follows: 

California 1 Michigan 1 

Colorado 1 Minnesota 1 

Connecticut 4 Xew Jersey 1 

Illinois 5 New York 3 

Indiana 4 Ohio 5 

Maine 1 Pennsylvania 2 

Massachusetts 16 Wisconsin 2 



Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were S.192. By April, 1921, they 
had increased 153% to S.485. The decline from the latter 
period up to January, 1922, was 5.49c, at which time the aver- 
age hourly earnings were S.459, an increase of 139% over 
July, 1914. The trend of hourly earnings shows that the peak 
was reached in the spring of 1921, considerably later than in 
most industries. There has been little decline from the peak 
and the trend has been marked by more or less stationary 
conditions throughout 1920-1921. 

In July, 1914 the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were S. 188. By September, 1920, they had increased 180% 
to $.527. The decline from the latter period up to January, 
1922 was 18.8% to S.428. In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male skilled labor were 5.256. By December, 1920, 
they had risen 151% to S.642 and declined 3.3% to S.621 from 
the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, 
the average hourly earnings of women were S.154. In No- 
vember, 1920, they had risen 144% to S.375. The decline 
from this peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 4.5%, the 

176 



Paper Products Manufacturing 



CENTS 
PER HOUR 




AVERAGE HOURLY 


EARNINGS 
















1 OD 




































<j 


5 




au 










































80 










































1 U 














MEN- 


SKILLEC 




— 




_.. 








.._ 


>.i 
























bU 


/ 

r — ^ 


,»«" 




-— 


— »» 


-^ 


1EN 


-UN 


SKILLED 




















40 


/// 


"T 


L W 


A6E 


EAR 


MEO 


; 




1 
















■^ 


" 







//// 
















WOMEN 






















30 

20 

10 

































'// 








































/ 
















































































JL 

19 

DOLLAF 
PER WE 

50 
45 
40 
35 
30 
25 


LY 

14 

s 

EK 


JUN.JUL. A 


JG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. ^ 


AY JUN. JUL. A 


JG. S 


■p. 


:r. n ]V. OEC. 


920 1921 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 








































































































































\ 




























/ 
/ 

/ 
/ / 


:n- 


3g 


fe 


IS 


^ 


SKI 


:.HS 


\ 


• 


■^ 








,•*" 


.^ 


■"-• 




// 
// / 








| 


\ 
















4 


^, 


V 


V 






20 
15 
10 

5 

□ 


f ALL WAGE 


EARNERS 






///J 


^ m 








-— 


— H. 








^kj«« 


5^ 


^ 


^^ 


' 
^ 


evA 










'/ / 














s 


»•. 


■— 




















' / 
/ 
















































































j 


ULY "" 


JUN. . 


UL. AUG. 


SEP 


i:t.noy 


x. * 


AN. FEB. 1 


'AYJIJM. 


UL A 


1G. E 


tP L 


n nov i 


X 


iet4 


132 


D 










1 


92 

























(National Industrial Conference Board) 

177 



Composite Payroll 


Data- 


-Paper Products Manufacturing 


Period 


Number Wage 

Earners 

Employed 


Average Hours 


Wages 
(All Wage Earners) 


One 
Week 


1914-22 

Establ. 

(39 
plants) 


Total 

All 

Establ. 

(47 

plants) 


Av. 

Week 
Per 

Wage 

Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 
Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


4,336 




50. 3 


52.4 


54.8 


$.192 


$9.68 


100 


100 


1920 




















Tune . . . 


5,678 


6,706 


46.6 


51.9 


49.4 


AGS 


21.1 A 


243 


225 


July.... 


5,668 


6,792 


47.0 


51.6 


49.4 


.461 


21.92 


243 


226 


Aug. .. . 


5,621 


6,724 


46.8 


52.0 


49.4 


All 


22.05 


245 


228 


Sept 


5,841 


6,950 


46.6 


51.1 


49.4 


A76 


22.17 


248 


229 


Oct 


6,013 


7,080 


46.2 


51.8 


49.3 


All 


21.74 


245 


225 


Nov. . . . 


5,587 


6,565 


45.6 


50.8 


49.3 


.476 


21.73 


248 


224 


Dec... 


5,416 


6,266 


42.5 


45.7 


49.1 


.472 


20.05 


246 


207 


1921 




















Jan 


4,904 


5,574 


39.5 


44.3 


49.0 


.482 


19.05 


251- 


197 


Feb.... 


4,773 


5,438 


38.6 


43.2 


49.1 


.481 


18.58 


251 


192 


Mar 


4,642 


5,166 


38.9 


43.2 


49.0 


.482 


•18.78 


251 


194 


April. . . 


4,479 


5,089 


35.4 


37.6 


49.6 


.485 


17.17 


253 


177 


May . . . 


4,307 


4,929 


37.6 


40.6 


49.6 


.482 


18.10 


251 


187 


June . . . 


4,164 


4,824 


39.1 


41.0 


48.9 


.473 


18.51 


246 


191 


July*... 


4,030 


4.578 


39.6 


43.7 


49.6 


.472 


18.71 


246 


193 


Aug. .. . 


4,024 


4,600 


41.0 


44.5 


49.5 


.475 


19.46 


247 


201 


Sept. . . . 


4,154 


4,755 


42.0 


44.2 


49.3 


.472 


19.82 


246 


205 


Oct 


4,409 


5,116 


44.2 


47.0 


49.6 


.462 


20.41 


241 


211 


Nov. . . . 


4,564 


5,341 


45.1 


46.6 


49.8 


.461 


20.76 


240 


214 


Dec... 


4,512 


5,258 


44.4 


45.0 


49.6 


.459 


20.34 


239 


210 



^See Introduction, p. 2. 



average earnings at the beginning of 1922 being $.358. By 
January, 1922, therefore, the average hourly earnings of these 
three groups had increased respectively 128%, 143% and 
132% over the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914, were S9.68. By September, 1920, 
they had increased 129% to $22.17. The decline from the latter 
period up to January, 1922 was 8.3%, at which time the aver- 
age weekly earnings were $20.34, a net increase of 110% over 
July, 1914. The trend showed a gradual decline from the peak 
through March, 1921. Beginning in April, 1921, a steady 
increase took place in weekly earnings, due to a continual 
increase in working hours. In general, the trend of weekly 

178 



T,5DD 
T,OOD 
B,50D 
6,0D0 
5,500 
5,000 
4,5 0D 
4,000 
3.50D 
3,000 
2,500 
E,000 
1,500 
1,000 
500 



Paper Products Manufacturing 

NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS 



JULY 

1914 



BO 



55 



50 



45 



40 



35 



30 



£5 




JULY 

I9T4 



"v 



*7^ffi£2^- 




MEN-UNSKILLED 



JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP DCT. NOV DEC . 

1320 1321 



AVERAGE HDURS OF WORK 




J UN. JUL. AUG. SEP DCT. NDV DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR.MAY JUN. JUL AUE SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . 

IB2D 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

179 



earnings was affected by fluctuations in working hours more 
than by reductions in hourly earnings. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $11.23. By August, 1920, they had increased 143% 
to $27.26. From the latter period up to January, 1922, they 
declined 26.2% to $20.11. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $13.41. By September, 1920, 
they had reached $30.53, an increase of 128%, and declined from 
the latter period up to the beginning of 1922, 7.1% to $28.37. In 
July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of women were $7.15. 
In October, 1920, they had increased 135% to $16.77. The 
decline from this peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 
8.9%, the average wage at the beginning of 1922 being $15.27. 
By January, 1922, therefore, the weekly earnings for these 
three groups had increased respectively 79%, 112% and 114% 
over the July, 1914 levels. 

Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered declined 
21.6% from June, 1920 up to the beginning of 1922. The 
decline in the three groups during this period was as follows: 
male common labor, 27.5%; male skilled labor, 6.4%, and 
women 27.3%. The tendency during the depression period, 
therefore, was to lay off common labor and women rather than 
skilled help. An increase in employment took place during the 
last six months of 1921. 

Employment in identical establishments increased 4.1% be- 
tween July, 1914 and the end of the year 1921. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 54.8 hours constituted the average nominal week. 
By June, 1920, the hours declined to 49.4 and it will be noted 
at this time that the average hours of plant operation were 
higher than those of the nominal week. The general level of 
between 49-50 hours was maintained up to January, 1922. 

The average hours of plant operation in 1914 were 52.4. Plant 
activity was well sustained through October, 1920. The first 
six months of 1921 showed a depressed condition in plant 
activity, while considerable increase was noted during the last 
six months of 1921. 

180 



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181 



The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline from 
50.3 hours in July, 1914 to 46.6 hours in June, 1920. The gen- 
eral trend of working hours followed the movement of plant 
hours. Beginning in May there was a considerable increase in 
working hours, which had a marked effect upon the average 
weekly earnings of all wage earners. 

Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in paper products manufactur- 
ing shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at $.459 or 139% above the July, 1914 level of $.192. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $20.34, or 110% above the July, 1914 level of 

$9.68. 

3. The declines of 5.4% in hourly earnings and 8.3% in 
weekly earnings from the peak were slight in comparison with 
the majority of basic industries. 

4. An increase in weekly earnings was noted during the last 
six months of 1921, due to longer working hours. 

5. In general, the industry showed fairly well sustained con- 
ditions during the industrial depression. 



182 



XVII 

PRINTING AND PUBLISHING 

A. Book and Job 

The data for this industry cover 283 establishments engaged 
in book and job printing, all of which supplied information for 
the last wage investigation. The largest number of wage 
earners employed in any one month was 18,572, in August, 
1920. The geographical distribution within 31 states and the 
District of Columbia is as follows: 

Alabama 2 Montana 2 

California 12 Nebraska 2 

Colorado -. . 2 New Hampshire 1 

Connecticut 2 New Jersey 7 

District of Columbia 2 New York 47 

Georgia 4 North Dakota 1 

Illinois 32 Ohio _ 40 

Indiana - 12 Pennsylvania 16 

Iowa 4 Rhode Island 4 

Kansas 3 South Dakota 2 

Kentucky 4 Tennessee 6 

Maine 2 Texas 1 

Massachusetts 19 Utah 1 

Michigan 10 Virginia . 6 

Minnesota 9 Washington 6 

Missouri 11 Wisconsin 1 1 

Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.304. By June and Oc- 
tober, 1921, they had increased 108% to $.631, and declined 
2.5% from these peaks up to January, 1922, at which time the 
average hourly earnings were $.615, an increase of 102% over 
July, 1914. The general high level of hourly earnings was main- 
tained in 1921, with the high points in June and October, 
followed by a moderate decline to the beginning of 1922. 

In July, 1914 the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.198. By October, 1920, they had increased 134% 
to $.464. The decline from the latter period up to January, 
1922 was 7.3% to $.430. In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $.398. By December, 1920 
they had increased 103% to $.807 and then declined 2.7% to 

183 



$.785 from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In 
July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of women were $.158. By 
November, 1920, they had increased 130% to $.364. The de- 
cline from this peak up to January, 1922, amounted to 2.7%, 
the average hourly earnings being $.355 at the latter period. 
By January, 1922, therefore, the average hourly earnings of 
the three groups had increased respectively 117%, 97% and 
125% over the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914, were $13.82. By October, 1920, 
they had increased 111% to $29.22. The decline amounted to 
0.7% from the latter period up to January, 1922, at which 
time the average weekly earnings were $29.01, a net increase 
of 110% over July, 1914. The trend shows a gradual increase 
up to October, 1920. At the beginning of 1921, a decided drop 
occurred, due to shorter hours of work. During the last three 
months of 1921 a slight increase occurred, due to the extension 
of working hours, though there was a slight reduction of hourly 
earnings. The general high level of hourly and weekly earnings 
has been practically stabilized during 1920-21. 

In July, 1914 the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $9.63. By July, 1920, they had increased 140% 
to $23.14. From the latter period up to January, 1922, they 
declined 9.1% to $21.04. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $18.23. To October, 1920, 
they increased 111% to $38.50, and declined 3.8% to $37.05 
from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 
1914, the average weekly earnings of women were $6.73. By 
December, 1920, they had increased 146% to $16.57. The 
decline from this peak up to the beginning of 1922 amounted to 
0.2% to $16.23. A marked increase in weekly earnings for 
women occurred in December, 1921, due to longer working 
hours. By 1922, therefore, the weekly earnings for these 
three groups had increased respectively 118%, 103% and 141% 
over the July, 1914 levels. 

Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered declined 
12% from June, 1920 up to January, 1922. The percentages of 
decline during this period for the three groups were as follows: 
male common labor, 21.1%; male skilled labor, 6.3%, and 

184 



CENTS 

rta noun 
lOOr 



Printing and Publishing — (Book and Job) 



AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 



3D 
80 
TO 
BO 
50 
40 
30 
20 
10 




/ 



SKILLED 



ALL WAGE EARNERS 



— +--fsafcs$sa£BB 



1914 

DOLLARS 
PEB WEEK 

50 



45 
40 
35 
30 
E5 
EO 
15 
10 
5 



JUN. JUL AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DE C. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. D EC 



(PB) 



1920 I9EI 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 



1914 




I3E0 I9EI 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 
185 



Composite Payroll Data — Book and Job Printing 



Period 



One 

Week 
In 



1914 
July... 

1920 

Tune 
July. 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Oct.. 
Nov. 
Dec. 

1921 

Tan. . . 

Feb . . . 

March 

April 

May 

June 



July" 

Aug. 
Sept. 
Oct., 
Nov. 
Dec. 



Number Wage 

Earners 

Employed 



1914-22 1920-22 

Establ. Establ. 

(211 (283 

plants') plants'! 



11,061 



13,286 

13,296 
13,428 
13,215 

15,210 
15.155 
12,985 



12,283 
11,841 
11,482 

10,945 

9,860 

10',100 

10,522 

10,881 
10,96" 
11,075 

11,282 
11,604 



18,179 
18,401 
18, 5 "2 
18,142 
17,611 
17,918 
17,668 



17,141 

16,116 
15. 4" 8 
14,808 

15,449 
15,850 

14,-45 
15,261 

15/25 
15,211 

15,433 
16,003 



Average Hours 



Av. 


Av. 




Week 


Hours 


Nomi- 


Per 


Plant 


nal 


Wage 


Oper- 


Week 


Ear:: i-r 


atic n 





44.6 
43 " 

45.9 
45.9 
44.5 
45.8 

43.5 

44.5 

44.8 
45.6 
47.1 



49.6 
50.1 

49.1 
49.6 
50.4 
49.0 
47.9 



45.0 
45.7 

46.0 
46.5 
46.5 
47.0 

46.6 
46.8 
46.8 
46.8 
4". 2 
47^5 



45.5 48.1 49, 



49.1 
49.1 
48 5 
48 / 
49.6 
48.8 
48.4 



46.8 
48.2 
48.5 
48.4 
47.6 
47.8 

47.9 

47 8 

47 8 

4". 9 
47.6 



Wages 
(All Wage Earners) 



Av. 


Av. 


Index Xos. 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


Earnings 


Earn- 


Earn- 






ings 


ings 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


$.304 


$13.82 


100 


wo 


.582 


27.02 


191 


196 


.597 


28.18 


196 


204 


.603* 


27 84 


198 


201 


.622 


28.58 


205 


207 


.621 


29 22 


204 


211 


.622 


29.12 


205 


211 


.622 


29.06 


205 


210 


.627 


27.97 


206 


202 


.624 


27.28 


205 


197 


.629 


27.59 


207 


200 


.629 


2" . 63 


207 


200 


.622 


27 51 


205 


199 


.631 


2". 65 


208 


200 


.624 


2". 19 


205 


197 


.624 


2". 90 


205 


202 


.626 


27.88 


206 


202 


.631 


28 28 


208 


205 


.626 


28 59 


206 


207 


.615 


29.01 


202 


210 



*See Introduction, 



p. 1. 



women, 17 f 7- The trough period of employment occurred during 
May and June, 1921, due to disturbed labor conditions. The 
last halt ot 1921 showed a marked increase in employment. 
Relatively, the printing industry was not so directly affected 
by the industrial depression as many other basic industries. 
Employment in identical establishments between July, 1914, 
and the end of the year 1921 increased 4.9%. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 49.7 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. By June, 1920, the hours had declined to 49.1 hours. 
The general level of from 48-49 hours was maintained through 
1920. In January, 1921, the depression point of 46.8 hours 
was reached. The last eight months of 1921 witnessed a decline 



186 



Printing and Publishing — {Book and Job) 



THOUSANDS 

EDi — 



JULY 

1914 

HOURS 
PER WEEK 

BDi — 



55 





NUMBER 


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JUN. JUL. AUG. 3EP DCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUE SEP. OC T NOV DEC 

I92D I9~£l 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

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no — l> r~- oc on oo 

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vo vo ^f ^ '^f ^ 

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oil 




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cO #N cO* > co"co' > co' > cO* > co'' 


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*—> 


^ ^.<—.< co O Z Q 








WO 


"15.- 

C 1J = 


1921 
Jan.. 
Feb . 
Mar. 
April 
May. 
June. 


iX bo X *J > o 



to slightly under 48 hours, due chiefly to the introduction of 
the 48-hour week in many of the larger plants. 

The average hours of plant operation increased from 48.1 in 
July, 1914, to 49.6 in June, 1920. This general level of plant 
activity was maintained through November, 1920. In No- 
vember and December, and continuing through May, 1921, 
there was a reduction in the hours of plant activity. In Novem- 
ber and December, 1921, there was an increase so that, at the 
end of 1921, plant hours practically equalled the hours of the 
nominal week. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed an increase 
from 45.5 hours in July, 1914 to 46.4 hours in June, 1920. 
At the beginning of 1921, there was a decline of over two hours 
per wage earner and in the succeeding months the average 
was slightly below the level of 44 hours per week. The last 
half of 1921, however, showed a continual increase, so that 
in December, 1921, working hours practically equalled the 
hours of plant operation. 

Conclusion 

1 . The average hourly earnings of all wage earners on Janu- 
ary 1, 1922 stood at $.615 or 102% over the July, 1914 level 
of $.304. 

2. The average weekly earnings of all wage earners on Janu- 
ary 1, 1922 stood at $29.01, or 110% above the 1914 level of 
$13.82. 

3. A decline, from the peak, of 2.5% in hourly earnings 
and 0.7% in weekly earnings, reflected a practically static con- 
dition of wages during 1920-21 in comparison with other basic 
industries. The printing industry in general, due to the effect 
of existing collective agreements, was practically unaffected 
during the readjustment period. 

4. Employment declined 12% from June, 1920, up to 
January, 1922, showing that the general industrial depression 
influenced this industry only slightly. 

5. The introduction of the 44-hour week in May, 1921, in 
many plants, and the resultant disturbed labor conditions in 
the succeeding months, make it difficult to show the real 
trend of industrial conditions in the printing industry, but in 
general, the industry was practically unaffected by wage 
reductions or industrial stagnation. 

189 



XVIII 

PRINTING AND PUBLISHING 

B. Newspapers and Periodicals 

The wage investigation in establishments engaged in printing 
newspapers and periodicals included 86 of the 111 plants which 
furnished wage information in the last wage investigation. The 
largest number of wage earners employed in any one month in 
the 86 establishments was 2,646 in December, 1921. The geo- 
graphical distribution within 29 states is as follows: 

California 7 Montana 1 

Colorado 1 Nebraska 1 

Connecticut 1 New Jersey 1 

Idaho 1 New York 7 

Illinois 6 North Dakota 1 

Indiana 1 Ohio 6 

Iowa 8 Oklahoma 2 

Kansas 3 Pennsylvania 9 

Kentucky 1 South Carolina 1 

Louisiana 1 Tennessee 1 

Massachusetts 6 Texas 2 

Michigan 3 Virginia 1 

Minneosta 3 Wisconsin 5 

Mississippi 1 Wyoming 1 

Missouri 4 

Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.415. By June, 1921, they 
had increased 74% to $.723. The decline from the latter period 
up to January, 1922 was 5%, at which time the average 
hourly earnings were $.687, an increase of 66% over July, 
1914. The trend of hourly earnings was steadily upward to 
the middle of 1921, followed by only a slight decline in the clos- 
ing months of 1921. 

In July, 1914 the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.311. By November, 1920, they had increased 
103% to $.632. The decline from the latter period up to Janu- 
ary 1922 was 16.8% to $.526. In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $.468. By January, 1921, 
they had risen 71% to $.805 and declined 4.4% to $.770 from 

190 



Printing and Publishing — (Newspapers and Periodicals) 



1 uu 
9D 






BO 






TD 


/ 


/ 


BD 


/ / 


/ / 




/ / / 


5D 


/ ■/ 


/ / 


40 
3D 
20 


/ 


/ 

/ 


/ 
/ 




ID 











JL 

13 


LY 

14 


dollas 

PEB WE 

5D 


S 
EK 




45 






4D 






35 
3D 




/ 


/' / 




/ / 


25 


/ / 


/ / 


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15 
ID 


' / 


/ 

/ / 


/ / 

// 

• / 




5 






D 









AVERAGE HOURLY 


EARNINGS 
















































(PN) 














. e «\U.£D 






























_. 




1MZ 


earners 




N-l 























p^-zL 
















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J 


JN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NDV. DEC. J 


AN. FEB. 1 


3R. K 


AY JUN. t 


JG S 


LP. C 


JT. NOV. C 


I92D 1 


321 

























AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 



JULY 

!9I4 




I9SQ 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

191 



Composite Payroll Data— Newspaper and Periodical Printing 





Number Wage 












Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Hours 


Wages 
(All Wage Earners) 


One 
Week 


1914-21 

Establ. 

(73 
plants) 


Total All 
Establ. 

(86 
plants) 


Av. 
Week 

Per 
Wage 
Earner 


Av. 

Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 
Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 
Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


1,533 




43.5 


49.0 


52.1 


$.415 


$18.05 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


2,186 


2,358 


44.7 


48.8 


48.6 


.664 


29.71 


160 


164 


July.... 


2,176 


2,359 


44.4 


48.8 


48.6 


.652 


28.94 


157 


160 


Aug. . . . 


2,187 


2,367 


44.9 


48.7 


48.5 


.656 


29.46 


158 


163 


Sept 


2,209 


2,392 


45.8 


48.7 


48.5 


.679 


31.10 


163 


172 


Oct 


2,255 


2,441 


45.7 


49.0 


48.5 


.693 


31.67 


167 


175 


Nov. . . . 


2,277 


2,466 


46.2 


49.2 


48.7 


.708 


32.74 


170 


181 


Dec... 


2,355 


2,543 


46.2 


48.4 


48.8 


.719 


33.22 


173 


183 


1921 




















Jan 


2,309 


2,491 


45.4 


48.9 


48.4 


.718 


32.59 


173 


180 


Feb.... 


2,290 


2,473 


45.0 


48.8 


48.4 


.717 


32.23 


172 


178 


Mar.. . . 


2,401 


2,482 


45.0 


49.0 


48.5 


.705 


31.74 


169 


175 


April. . . 


2,226 


2,412 


44.7 


48.0 


48.3 


.709 


31.71 


170 


175 


May . . . 


2,092 


2,273 


44.5 . 


48.0 


48.7 


.712 


31.73 


171 


175 


June . . . 


2,150 


2,295 


43.9 


47.0 


48.2 


.723 


31.74 


174 


175 


July*... 


2,224 


2,412 


44.9 


48.8 


48.7 


.691 


31.06 


167 


172 


Aug. ... 


2,220 


2,403 


45.0 


48.7 


48.6 


.694 


31.20 


167 


173 


Sept. . . . 


2,325 


2,507 


45.7 


48.9 


48.6 


.687 


31.44 


166 


174 


Oct 


2,367 


2,560 


45.6 


49.7 


48.5 


.682 


31.13 


164 


172 


Nov. . . . 


2,403 


2,628 


45.9 


48.4 


48.5 


.674 


30.94 


162 


171 


Dec... 


2,428 


2,646 


46.4 


48.7 


48.6 


.687 


31.90 


166 


177 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 



the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, 
the average hourly earnings of women were $.191. In De- 
cember, 1920, they had risen 128% to $.437. The decline 
from this peak up to January, 1922, amounted to 3.9%, the 
average earnings at the beginning of 1922 being $.420. Up to 
January, 1922, therefore, the average hourly earnings of these 
three groups had increased respectively 69%, 65% and 120% 
over the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were SI 8.05. By December, 1921 
they had increased 80% to $33.22. The decline from the latter 
period up to January, 1922, was 5%, at which time the average 
weekly earnings were $31.90, a net increase of 77% over July, 
1914. The wage trend shows a gradual rise to the peak at the 

192 



E.800 

£.600 

2,4DD 

2,200 

2,000 

l,B00 

1,600 

1,400 

1,500 

1,000 

800 

BOO 

400 

200 



Printing and Publishing — {Newspapers and Periodicals) 

NUMBER DF WAGE EARNERS 



Ql 

JULY 

1914 

HOURS 

>ER WEEK 

60 



55 



50 



45 



40 



35 



30 



25 

JU 



JULY 




^.^ ^^N-SKILLEC 



IWD^EN 



MEN-UNS 



JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAP.. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV DEC . 

1320 1321 
AVERAGE HOURS OF WORK 




Actual week or_ 



ACTUAL WEEK PER 
WAGE EARNER 



JUN. JUL. AUG. 3EP OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR.MAY JUN. JUL. AUB. SEP. OCT NOV. DEC 

19213 iaei 



(National Industrial Conference Board) 

193 



beginning of 1921, with only moderate declines at the end of 
the year. The whole wage situation was practically stationary 
during 1920-21. 

In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $9.91. By November, 1920, they had increased 
137% to $23.48. From the latter period up to January, 1922 
they declined 14.4% to $20.09. In July, 1914, the average 
weekly earnings of male skilled labor were $20.86. By Febru- 
ary, 1921, they reached $38.72, an increase of 86%, and then 
declined 4.9% to $36.91 from the latter period up to the begin- 
ning of 1922. In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of 
women were $8.99. In November, 1920, they had increased 
122% to $19.99. The decline from this peak up to January, 
1922 amounted to 5.6%,, the average wage at the beginning of 
1922 being $18.87. By January, 1922, therefore, the weekly 
earnings for these groups had increased respectively 103%, 
77% and 110% over the July, 1914 levels. 

Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered increased 
12.2% from January, 1920 to the beginning of 1922. Unem- 
ployment in this industry has been relatively unimportant, as 
it has been little affected by the general industrial depression. 
The changes in numbers employed in the three groups during 
the period from June, 1920 to the beginning of 1922 were as 
follows: Male common labor declined 9.6%, w T hile male 
skilled labor increased 13%, and women increased 23.5%. 

Employment in identical establishments between July, 1914 
and the end of the year 1921 increased 58%. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 52.1 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. Following the general reduction of working hours dur- 
ing the war period, there was a decline to 48.6 hours in June, 
1920. The latter standard has been practically maintained 
except for a slight decline during June, 1921. This decrease 
may be accounted for by the introduction of the 44-hour 
week in some of the plants in the larger cities; but as many of 
the schedules in this group came from small towns the 
general effect on present figures is unimportant. 

194 



o 


£ c 

s to 


a; 

1 




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o 




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One 

Week 
In 




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195 



The average hours of plant operation in July, 1914, were 49.0. 
In June, 1920, they were 48.8, and the general level of 49 hours 
to 50 hours was maintained up to April, 1921. April and May 
showed a decline in hours of plant activity because of labor dis- 
turbances and were followed by a return to more normal con- 
ditions in the last months of 1921. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed an increase 
from 43.5 hours in July, 1914 to 44.7 hours in June, 1920. The 
general trend of working hours closely followed plant activity. 
The lower levels of May and June, 1921 were brought about by 
labor disturbances, and the decline in working hours during 
and following this period, had a direct effect upon weekly 
earnings. 

Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in newspaper printing plants 
shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at $.687, or 66% above the July, 1914 level of 
$.415. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at $31.90, or 77% above the July, 1914 level' of 
$18.05. 

3. The decline from the peak in both hourly and weekly 
earnings has was very slight, wages remaining practically at war 
levels. The net increases at the close of 1921, however, were 
smaller than those found in many manufacturing industries. 

4. An increase of 12.2% in employment from June, 1920 
to the beginning of 1922 showed that the industry had been 
little affected by the industrial depression. 

5. The effect of close organization in maintaining high wage 
levels during a time of depression is shown in this industry. 



196 



XIX 

LUMBER MANUFACTURING AND MILLWORK 

The wage investigation covered establishments, exclusive 
of sawmills, engaged in the manufacture of dressed lumber, 
sashes, doors and blinds, and general interior and exterior wood- 
work and trim. Returns were received from 249 plants, 242 
of which furnished information for the last wage investigation. 
Statistics covering women were not compiled, as the number of 
female wage earners employed in this industry is negligible. 
The largest number of wage earners employed in any one 
month was 11,285 in July, 1920. Thus, over 11% of the wage 
earners reported by the 1919 Census of Manufactures as em- 
ployed in lumber planing mills are covered in this report. 
While the number of establishments included in this report 
is small in comparison with the whole industry, the percentage 
of wage earners covered and the distribution and size of estab- 
lishments may be considered representative of the industry. 
The geographical distribution within 37 states and the District 
of Columbia is as follows: 



Arkansas 2 

California 12 

Colorado 5 

Connecticut 5 

District of Columbia 1 

Florida 4 

Georgia 1 

Illinois 12 

Indiana 9 

Iowa 7 

Kansas 2 

Kentucky. . „ 4 

Louisiana 2 

Maine.. 4 

Maryland. .-. 2 

Massachusetts 10 

Michigan 14 

Minnesota. 6 

Missouri. ........ 4 



Montana 3 

Nebraska 4 

New Hampshire 5 

New Jersey 7 

New York ..19 

North Dakota . 1 

Ohio . 29 

Oklahoma 1 

Oregon 5 

Pennsylvania 25 

Rhode Island 2 

South Dakota 1 

Tennessee 5 

Texas . . 4 

Utah 1 

Vermont 3 

Virginia 4 

Washington. 3 

Wisconsin. ..................... .21 

197 



Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.240. By October, 1920, they 
had increased 138% to $.572. The decline from the latter 
period up to January, 1922 amounted to 15.7%, at which 
time the average hourly earnings were $.482, an increase of 
101% over July, 1914. The general high level of hourly earn- 
ings was maintained through 1920. The decline during 1921 
was moderate and gradual throughout the entire year. 

In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings ' of male common 
labor were $.192, and by October, 1920 they had increased 
140% to $.461. They declined 23% to $.355 from the latter 
period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, the average 
hourly earnings of male skilled labor were $ . 285. By November, 
1920, they had increased 131% to $.658. The decline from this 
peak up to the beginning of 1922 was 15%, at which time the 
average hourly earnings were $.559. By January, 1922, there- 
fore, the hourly earnings for these two groups had increased 
respectively, 85% and 96% over the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male common labor were $12.77. By October, 
1920, they had risen 120% o to $28.13. The decline from this 
period up to the beginning of 1922 amounted to 17.1%, the 
average weekly earnings being $23.32 at the latter period, a 
net increase of 83% over July, 1914. The general high level of 
weekly earnings was maintained through 1920. Beginning in 
January, 1921, there was a considerable decline, due to reduc- 
tions in both working hours and hourly rates. The year 1921 
was marked by a more or less stationary level of weekly earn- 
ings, due to the fact that working hours increased in proportion 
as hourly earnings declined. 

For specific groups, the study shows that in July, 1914, the 
average weekly earnings of male common labor were $10.34. 
By October, 1920, they had increased 125% to $23.22. The 
decline from this period to the beginning of 1922 was 26.7% 
to $17.02. In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of male 
skilled labor were $15.00. By October, 1920, they had increased 
111% to $31.63. From the latter period to January, 1922, they 
declined 14% to $27.19. By January, 1922, therefore, the 



CENTB 
PER HOUR 

100 



Lumber Manufacturing and Mlllwork 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 



9D 
BO 
TO 
60 
50 
40 
30 
ED 
10 




- ...J^".££ / . t -«-eo 




JULY 

1914 

DOLLARS 
PER WEEK 

5Di — 



45 
40 
35 
30 
25 
20 
15 
10 
5 



JUN. JUL. AUG._SEP. OCT NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR, APR. MAY JUN. JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV. OEC 



I9SD I9SI 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 




JULY 

1914 




JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP DCT.NDV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN . JUL. AUG. SEP _DCX NOV^DEC. 



I92D 



1921 



(National Industrial Conference Board) 

199 



Composite Payroll Data — Lumber Manufacturing and 
Millwork 





Number Wage 
















Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Hours 


vv ages 
(All Wage Earners) 


One 
Week 


1914-22 

Establ. 
(176 

plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 

(249 
plants) 


Av. 
Week 

Per 
Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


8,743 




52.2 


59.7 


57.0 


$.240 


$12.77 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


8,179 


10,373 


48.6 


52.8 


53.0 


.550 


26.77 


229 


210 


July.... 


8,975 


11,285 


49.2 


53.2 


53.5 


.546 


26.88 


227 


210 


Aug... . 


8,956 


11,226 


48.9 


53.1 


53.2 


.563 


27.51 


235 


215 


Sept.... 


8,521 


10,750 


49.0 


52.5 


53.0 


.569 


27.90 


237 


218 


Oct 


8,142 


10,298 


49.1 


52.1 


53.0 


.572 


28.13 


238 


220 


Nov.. . . 


7,687 


9,835 


48.3 


51.7 


53.2 


.566 


27.31 


236 


214 


Dec.... 


7,297 


9,369 


47.8 


49.3 


52.6 


.557 


26.62 


232 


208 


1921 




















Jan 


6,431 


8,175 


44.3 


46.2 


52.5 


.547 


24.24 


228 


190 


Feb.... 


6,705 


8,471 


45.9 


48.9 


52.9 


.531 


24.39 


221 


191 


March.. 


6,617 


8,435 


46.2 


48.9 


52.9 


.532 


24.55 


222 


192 


April . . . 


7,029 


8,799 


46.1 


48.6 


52.8 


.522 


24.07 


217 


188 


May . . . 


6,844 


8,675 


47.6 


48.7 


52.6 


.503 


23.96 


210 


188 


June . . . 


6,442 


8,366 


47.9 


49.4 


52.6 


.504 


24.16 


210 


189 


July*... 


7,471 


9,454 


47.1 


50.2 


52.4 


.491 


23.11 


205 


181 


Aug. .. . 


7,164 


9,080 


48.8 


50.3 


52.1 


.489 


23.83 


204 


187 


Sept 


7,078 


9,034 


49.0 


50.0 


51.5 


.491 


24.09 


205 


189 


Oct 


6,889 


9,053 


49.2 


51.0 


52.0 


.487 


23.96 


203 


188 


Nov 


6,752 


8,926 


48.0 


49.9 


51.8 


.484 


23.25 


202 


182 


Dec... 


6,758 


8,924 


48.4 


49.5 


51.7 


.482 


23.32 


201 


183 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 



weekly earnings of these two groups had increased respective! 
65% and 81% over the July, 1914 levels. 



Employment 

Total employment declined 14% from June, 1920 up to 
January, 1922. The percentages of decline for the two groups 
during this period were, male common labor, 20.9%; male 
skilled labor, 9.1%. Relatively speaking, the slight decline in 
employment shows that lumber planing mills were relatively 
less affected by the industrial depression than many other basic 
industries. 

200 



Lumber Manufacturing and Millwork 



THOUSANDS 



JULY 

1314 



1 c 

1 1 






ID 






9 




-~~^_ 


6 


~~" ■ 




7 






6 






5 






4 






3 






2 






n 




41 

19 


LY 

14 


HOUR 
PERWf 

eo 


3 
EK 


\ 




\ 


55 


^ \ 






<v 




\^ ^ 


5D 




\ 


45 
40 








35 






3D 






25 









NUMBER 


OF WAGE EARNERS 




















^ 




























^ 






"& 


































4 


































/ 




§s 


S 




































s 














/ 


*** 


•■■ 










** 


me 


f.5 


Ss* 


i° 




S 


^ 


••a 


^ 


**« 


s 


r 




^'*...« 
















% 












/ 


— » 


— 








— 




/ 


-»-. 


« 


MF 


-; 




\ 


»-— 








*«■ 


/ 






















'S 


^ 


















••.„„ 




















































































































JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. F 


1920 


IE 


321 























** : 




AVERAGE HDUR5 OF WD RK 



_ NOMINAL WEEK 

■ n T m T~" 

ACTTUAL WEEK OF 
PLANT OPERATION 



^S 



JUN._JUL . AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB MAP IUL AUG SEP OCT NOV. DEC 

iHgQ^ ,gg| ■ 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 
201 



Further, the industry did not expand greatly between July, 
1914, and the middle of 1920, so that the decrease was not so 
large as might have been expected had the industry been af- 
fected by war demands. 

Employment in identical establishments declined 22.7% 
between July, 1914 and January, 1922. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 57 hours constituted the average nominal week. 
It will be noted that at this time the average hours of plant 
operation were higher than the hours of the nominal week. 
In June, 1920, the nominal week had declined to 53 hours. 
The level of more than 53 hours was maintained through No- 
vember, 1920. In December, however, there was a decline to 
52.6 hours. A general level of from 51^ to 52^ hours was 
maintained up to January, 1922. 

The average hours of plant operation declined from 59.7 hours 
in July, 1914 to 52.8 hours in June, 1920. Plant activity was 
well sustained through November, 1920, followed by declines 
in December and January, 1921. The remaining months of 
1921, however, show a generally sustained level of plant activity. 

The average actual week per wage earner declined from 53.2 
hours to 48.6 hours in June, 1920. The general level of work- 
ing hours was maintained through November, 1920. Declines 
occurred during the next three months, but the last six months 
of 1921 showed well sustained working hours. 

Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in lumber and planing mills 
shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $.482, or 101% above the July, 1914 level of $.240. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $23.32, or 83% above the July, 1914 level of 
$12.77. 

3. The declines from the peak, of 15.7% in hourly earnings 
and 17.1% in weekly earnings, were considerably smaller than 
those found in many other basic industries. This is explainable 

202 









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203 



by the fact that wages during the general height of prosperity in 
1920 increased less than in many other basic industries. 

4. Total employment declined 14% from June, 1920 up to 
January, 1922, showing that the industry was only slightly 
affected by the general industrial depression. The last six 
months of 1921 showed a more or less stationary condition of 
employment, working hours and wages. 



204 



XX 

FURNITURE MANUFACTURING 

The wage investigation in this industry included establish- 
ments manufacturing wooden and upholstered furniture and 
also a few plants engaged in cabinet work. Returns were re- 
ceived from 132 plants, of which all but one furnished informa- 
tion for the last wage investigation. The largest number of 
wage earners employed in any one month was 16,165 in June, 
1920. Thus, over 10% of the wage earners reported by the 
1919 Census of Manufactures for the furniture industry are 
covered in this report. The majority of returns come from the 
largest centers of furniture manufacturing. The geographical 
d : stribut'on within 26 states is as follows: 

California 3 New Jersey 2 

Connecticut 4 New York 17 

Georgia 1 North Carolina 1 

Illinois 6 Ohio 13 

Indiana 13 Oregon 2 

Kentucky 4 Pennsylvania 16 

Maine 1 South Carolina 1 

Maryland , 2 Tennessee 1 

Massachusetts 9 Texas 2 

Michigan 17 Vermont 2 

Minnesota 3 Virginia 1 

Missouri 4 West Virginia 1 

Montana 1 Wisconsin 5 



Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.228. By December, 1920, 
they had increased 153% to $.576. The decline was 18.6% 
from the latter period up to January, 1922, when the average 
hourly earnings were $.469, an increase of 106% over July, 1914. 
The decline in hourly earnings was gradual throughout 
the period covered by the investigation. 

The study shows that in July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male unskilled labor were $.162. By December, 

205 



1920, they had increased 193% to $.474. The decline 
from the latter period up to January, 1922 was 25.5% to 
$.353. In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of male 
skilled labor were $.256. By December, 1920, they had risen 
147% to $.633. A decline of 18.3% to $.517 took p ] ace from the 
latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, the 
average hourly earnings of women were $.155. By November, 
1920, they had increased 130% to $.356. The decline from this 
peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 17.7%, the average 
earnings at the latter period being $.293. By January, 1922, 
therefore, the average hourly earnings of these three groups 
had increased respectively 118%, 102% and 89% over the 
July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were $11.23. By September, 1920, 
they had increased 137% to $26.65. The decline from the 
latter period up to January, 1922 amounted to 14.3%, leaving 
the average weekly earnings at $22.83, a net increase of 103% 
over July, 1914. The general high level of weekly earnings 
was maintained through 1920. Beginning in January, 1921, 
there was a severe decline, while the remainder of the year 
showed more moderate reductions. Weekly earnings were 
well maintained, due to an increase in working hours, though 
hourly rates declined steadily. 

The average weekly earnings of male common labor were 
$8.08. By September, 1920, they had increased 171% to $21.91. 
From the latter period up to January, 1922, they declined 
19.7% to $17.59. In July, 1914, the average weekly earnings of 
male skilled labor were $12.62. By September, 1920, they had 
increased 134% to $29.56, and declined 14.9% to $25.15 from 
the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. In July, 1914, 
the average weekly earnings of women were $7.29. By October, 
1920, they had increased 122% to $16.22. The decline from this 
peak up to January, 1922 amounted to 18.2%, the average 
wage in the beginning of 1922 being $13.27. By January, 
1922, therefore, the weekly earnings for these three groups 
increased respectively 118%, 99% and 82% over the July, 
1914 levels. 

206 



CENTS 
PER HOUR 

IDD — 



9D 
BO 
70 
BO 
50 
40 
30 
20 
10 



Furniture Manufacturing 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 








£) 



JULY 

1914 



JUN.JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC J AN^FE c 'V JUN. JUL AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC. 



PER WEEK 

50 — 



45 



1920 1921 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 



40 
35 
30 
25 
2D 
15 
10 
5 




JULY 

1914 




JUN JUL ri UV. PEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. PEC . 

I92D 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

207 



Composite Payroll Data — Furniture Manufacturing 





Number Wage 








WT„ 






Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Hours 


(All Wage Earners) 


One 
Week 


1914-22 

Establ. 
(98 

plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 

(132 
plants) 


Av. 

Week 
Per 

Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 
Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


11,001 




49.3 


51.5 


55.1 


$.228 


$11.23 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


11,440 


16,165 


49.0 


51.0 


51.5 


.534 


26.17 


234 


233 


July.... 


11,338 


15,966 


48.4 


50.9 


51.4 


.544 


26.33 


239 


234 


Aug. . . . 


11,349 


16,091 


48.1 


50.3 


51.4 


.549 


26.39 


241 


235 


Sept. .. . 


11,098 


15,636 


47.9 


50.2 


51.3 


.557 


26.65 


244 


237 


Oct 


10,737 


14,936 


46.5 


48.4 


50.9 


.563 


26.16 


247 


233 


Nov.. . . 


10,336 


14,141 


46.0 


47.6 


50.3 


.568 


26.15 


249 


233 


Dec... 


9,629 


13,106 


44.5 


46.4 


50.4 


.576 


25.62 


253 


228 


1921 




















Jan 


8,661 


11,374 


42.6 


44.8 


50.7 


.557 


23.71 


244 


211 


Feb.... 


8,526 


11,537 


42.7 


45.2 


51.3 


.541 


23.08 


237 


206 


March.. 


8,752 


12,016 


44.9 


46.0 


51.1 


.520 


23.35 


228 


208 


April . . . 


8,865 


12,177 


44.7 


46.4 


51.0 


.510 


22.78 


224 


203 


May . . . 


8,519 


12,235 


45.6 


47.7 


51.1 


.512 


23.31 


225 


208 


June . . . 


8,899 


12,253 


45.3 


47.1 


50.9 


.502 


22.75 


220 


203 


July*... 


7,952 


10,941 


42.7 


43.8 


50.9 


.502 


21.45 


220 


191 


Aug.... 


8,365 


11,552 


45.0 


46.8 


50.5 


.491 


22.10 


215 


197 


Sept 


8,921 


12,342 


46.3 


47.2 


51.1 


.484 


22.40 


212 


199 


Oct 


9,576 


13,240 


48.0 


49.0 


51.1 


.471 


22.59 


207 


201 


Nov .... 


9,736 


13,702 


48.1 


49.6 


51.3 


.471 


22.65 


207 


202 


Dec. ... 


9,963 


13,660 


48.6 


49.2 


51.1 


.469 


22.83 


206 


203 



^See Introduction, p. 2. 



Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered declined 
15.5% from June, 1920 up to the beginning of 1922. The per- 
centages of decline for these three groups were: male common 
labor, 28.1%; male skilled labor, 8.2%; women, 36.7%. The 
decline in employment was steady up to January, 1921. Since 
that time, there have been fluctuations in employment with a 
tendency toward a gradual increase of working forces. A large 
number of women have evidently returned from industrial to 
domestic and other occupations. 



Employment in identical establishments between July 
and the end of the year 1921 declined 9.4%. 

208 



1914 



THOUSANDS 
IB 



IB 



14 



12 



ID 



JULY 

1914 



JULY 

1914 



Furniture Manufacturing 

NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS 




MEN/-. 



^ 



«£fc 



J ^i 



ALL WAGE EARNERS 
1314-21 ESTA8._ 



or*— 



■■••"— l*iiZ.:± .*i+ 



"V 



55 




_\^ 


50 






45 
40 
35 
30 
P5 













JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR MAY JUN. JUL. AVJ6. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC . 

1920 1921 



AVERAGE HOURS OF WORK 




JUN. JUL. AU6. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUE. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . 

1920 IB2I 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

209 



Hours 

In July, 1914, 55.1 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. By June, 1920, the hours had declined to 51.5 and the 
general level of from 50.3 hours to slightly more than 51 hours 
was maintained up to January, 1922. 

The average hours oj plant operation declined from 51.5 in July, 
1914 to 51 hours in June, 1920. The effect of the industrial 
depression began to be felt at the close of 1920 and the begin- 
ning of 1921. The trough period was reached in July, 1921, 
when plant hours declined to 43.8 hours. The last months of 
1921 saw an approach to more normal conditions, the average 
hours of plant activity rising to 49.2 hours in December, 1921. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline from 
49.3 hours in July, 1914 to 49 in June, 1920. The direct effect 
of the industrial depression began to be felt at the beginning 
of 1921, the average working hours in February and again in 
July falling to 42.7. The last six months of 1921, however, 
witnessed a marked increase in the resumption of working 
hours. This increase in working hours helped materially to 
maintain weekly earnings on a more or less stationary level. 



Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in the furniture industry shows 
that: 

1. The average hourly earnings of all wage earners on Janu- 
ary 1, 1922, stood at $.469 or 106% above the July, 1914 level 
of $.228. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners stood at 
$22.83 or 103% above the July, 1914 level of $11.23. 

3. The decline from the peak, of 14.3% in weekly earnings, 
was somewhat less than in many basic industries, due to the 
fact that, though hourly earnings steadily declined, there was 
a steady increase of working hours. 

4. Employment declined 15.5% from June, 1920 up to the 
beginning of 1922, showing that the furniture industry was not 

210 



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211 



so directly affected by the industrial depression as were many 
other basic industries. 

5. The depression period was reached during the winter of 
1920-1921. The year 1921 was marked by wage fluctuations, 
though there was a steady trend toward recovery during the 
closing months of the year. 



212 



XXI 

BRICK AND TILE MANUFACTURING 

Wage data for this industry were obtained from establish- 
ments engaged in the manufacture of brick, tile and fire-clay 
products. Returns were received from 119 plants, 117 of which 
furnished information for the last wage investigation. The 
largest number of wage earners employed in any one month 
in the 119 establishments was 6,085 in June, 1920. Statistics 
covering women have not been compiled, as the number of 
women employed in the industry is negligible. While the num- 
ber of establishments and wage earners covered in this report 
is small in comparison with the whole industry, the size and type 
of establishments covered are representative. The geographical 
distribution within 30 states is as follows: 

Arkansas 2 Montana 2 

California 6 Nebraska 1 

Colorado 2 New Hampshire 1 

Connecticut 2 New Jersey 2 

Delaware 1 New Mexico 1 

Illinois 11 New York 5 

Indiana 6 Ohio 22 

Iowa 15 Pennsylvania 12 

Kansas 2 South Dakota 1 

Kentucky 3 Texas 2 

Maryland 1 Vermont 1 

Massachusetts 5 Washington 1 

Michigan 4 West Virginia 1 

Minnesota 2 Wisconsin 2 

Missouri 2 Wyoming 1 

In many places the distinction between common and un- 
skilled and semi-skilled or skilled groups is vague, many plants 
considering their entire. force as common labor, except a few 
skilled overseers; others designate the whole group as skilled. 
The work performed by both groups is, however, essentially 
the same. This vagueness of occupational classification makes 
the compilation of exact wage data difficult. 

The seasonal fluctuations during early spring and winter 
months which characterize this industry are clearly shown by 
this report. 

213 



Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were J. 233. By October, 1920, 
they had increased 145% to $.571. A decline of 24.3% took 
place from the latter period up to January, 1922, at which time 
the average hourly earnings were $.432, an increase of 85% 
over July, 1914. Hourly earnings declined gradually from 
the peak throughout the entire period covered by the investi- 
gation. The sharpest reduction in any one month occurred in 
January, 1921, when wages dropped 2.7 cents per hour. 

In July, 1914, the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.221. By October, 1920, they had increased 145% 
to $.541. The decline from the latter period up to January, 
1922, was 25.3% to $.404. In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $.271. By October, 1920, 
they had increased 142% to $.655. The decline from the latter 
period up to the beginning of 1922 was 19.7% to $.526. By 
January, 1922, therefore, the average hourly earnings of these 
two groups had increased repsectively 83% and 94% over the 
July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were $12.42. By October, 1920, 
they had increased 135% to $29.20. The decline from the latter 
period up to January, 1922 was 23.9%, leaving the average 
weekly earnings at that time $22.22, a net increase of 79% over 
July, 1914. Weekly earnings declined gradually from the peak 
through August, 1921. Beginning in September and continu- 
ing to the end of the year there was a slight increase due to 
longer working hours. Seasonal fluctuations and the general 
stagnation of building trades unquestionably influenced the 
trends of both hourly and weekly earnings. It is difficult 
to ascertain which of these factors had more effect on wage 
trends. 

In July, 1914 the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $11.93. By October, 1920, they had increased 133% 
to $27.76. From the latter period up to January, 1922, they 
declined 25.9%, leaving the average weekly earnings at $20.56, 
an increase of 72% over July, 1914. In July, 1914, the average 
weekly earnings of male skilled labor were $13.86. By Septem- 
ber, 1920, they had increased 142% to $33.51, then declining 

214 



CENTS 
PEP HOUR 

100 



Brick and Tile Manufacturing 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 




I9EI 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 
215 



Composite Payroll Data-Brick and Tile Manufacturing 





Number Wage 








Wa 
\11 Wag« 






Period 


Earners 
Employed 


Average Hours 


( 


ges 

Earners) 


One 

Week 

In 


1914-22 

Establ. 

(85 
plants) 


1920-22 

Establ. 

(119 
plant?) 


Av. 

Week 

Per 
Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 
Earn- 
ings 


Index 

Earn 

Hrly. 


Nos. 
ings 

Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


5,397 




53.3 


55.1 


56.8 


$.233 


$12.42 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


4,869 


6,085 


50.7 


53.7 


54.5 


.539 


27.31 


231 


220 


July. . . . 


5,142 


6,084 


51.3 


53.0 


54.9 


.544 


27.92 


233 


225 


Aug. .. . 


4,955 


6,154 


50.1 


52.2 


53.7 


.543 


27.25 


233 


219 


Sept. . . . 


4,713 


5,914 


50.2 


51.8 


53.9 


.565 


28.38 


242 


229 


Oct 


4,283 


5,292 


51.1 


51.6 


54.1 


.571 


29.20 


245 


235 


Nov. . . . 


3,875 


4,747 


49.9 


50.1 


53.7 


.564 


28.16 


242 


227 


Dec... 


3,304 


3,961 


49.8 


49.6 


54.2 


.541 


26.96 


232 


217 


1921 




















Jan 


2,601 


3,043 


48.8 


47.5 


54.4 


.514 


25.12 


221 


202 


Feb.... 


2,590 


3,024 


48.9 


47.0 


54.3 


.481 


23.51 


206 


189 


March. . 


2,918 


3,401 


48.7 


48.3 


53.9 


.463 


22.57 


199 


182 


April . . . 


3,875 


4,346 


49.5 


50.2 


54.4 


.454 


22.44 


195 


181 


May . . . 


3,819 


4,599 


49.2 


49.0 


53.5 


.441 


21.68 


189 


175 


June . . . 


3,684 


4,435 


49.8 


49.9 


53.5 


.438 


21.78 


188 


175 


July*... 


3,233 


4,163 


48.9 


50.7 


54.4 


.442 


21.58 


190 


174 


Aug. ... 


3,161 


4,143 


48.0 


49.4 


54.4 


.448 


21.51 


192 


173 


Sept.... 


3,259 


4,261 


49.7 


49.0 


54.1 


.445 


22.08 


191 


178 


Oct 


3,446 


4,409 


50.7 


48.9 


54.3 


.437 


22.13 


188 


178 


Nov. . . . 


3,460 


4,417 


50.1 


50.5 


54.2 


.429 


21.51 


184 


173 


Dec... 


3,215 


4,030 


51.4 


50.1 


54.2 


.432 


22.22 


185 


179 



^See Introduction, 



P- 



15.8% to $28.21 from the latter period up to the beginning 
of 1922. By January, 1922, therefore, the weekly earnings 
for these two groups had increased respectively 72% and 
104% over the July, 1914 levels. 



Employment 



Total employment in the establishments covered declined 
33.8% from June, 1920 up to the beginning of January, 1922. 
The percentages of decline for the two groups during this 
period were as follows: male common labor, 29%; male skilled 
labor, 46.4%. The irregularity of employment was caused 

216 



THOUSANDS 

7 



Brick and Tile Manufacturing 

NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS 



JULY 

1914 




JUN. JUL. AUG. SER OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. DCT. NOV DEC . 

1920 I9EI 



60 



55 



5D 



45 



40 



35 



30 



55 

JULY 

1914 



AVERAGE HOURS OF WORK 




JUN. JUL. AUB.3EP OCT. NOV. DEC. JAM FEB. MAR APH.MAYJUN.JUL. AURSEP. DCT. NOV DEC 

19213 1921 



(National Industrial Conference Board) 

217 



by seasonal fluctuations, and by the general depression in build- 
ing trades, curtailing the demand for brick and tile products. 

Employment in identical establishments between July, 1914 
and the end of the year 1921 decreased 40.4%. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 56.8 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. In June, 1920, there was a drop to 54.5 hours per week, 
and the general level of approximately 53.5-54.5 hours was 
maintained until the end of 1921. 

The average hours of plant operation decreased from 55.1 
hours in July, 1914 to 53.7 hours in June, 1920. Plant activity 
was generally well sustained during 1920 and 1921. A de- 
pression period occurred in the opening months of 1921, but 
the last half of that year witnessed an approach to more normal 
conditions. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline 
from 53.3 hours in July, 1914 to 50.7 hours in June, 1920. The 
general trend of working hours closely followed plant ac- 
tivity, a depression period occurring in the early months of 
1921 and a revival in the closing months of the year. 



Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in brick and tile manufactur- 
ing shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $.432, or 85% above the July, 1914 level of $.233. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $22.22, or 79% above the July, 1914 level of 

$12.42. 

3. The decline from the peak of hourly and weekly earnings 
was rapid, due particularly to the stagnation in building oper- 
ations, in municipal construction and railroad maintenance. 

4. Employment declined 33.8% from June, 1920 to Janu- 
ary, 1922, as a result of the economic depression. Employment 

218 



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219 



declined over 40% between July, 1914 and the end of 1921, 
due not only to the economic depression but to the absence of 
war stimulation. 

5. The general situation in the industry were marked by 
complete plant shutdowns rather than by part-time operation. 



220 



XXII 

GENERATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF 
ELECTRICITY 

Wage data for this industry were received from establish- 
ments engaged in the generation and distribution of electricity. 
Returns were received from 212 plants, 210 of which furnished 
information for the last wage investigation. The largest num- 
ber employed in any one month in the 212 establishments was 
15,632 in December, 1920. Thus over 22% of all wage earners 
listed in the 1917 Census of Central Electric Light and Power 
Stations are covered in this report. The geographical distri- 
bution within 34 states is as follows: 



Arizona 6 Montana 15 

California 21 Nebraska 2 

Colorado 4 New Hampshire 1 

Connecticut 6 New Jersey 2 

Florida 1 New York 19 

Georgia 5 North Dakota 1 

Illinois 22 Ohio 10 

Indiana 9 Oregon 2 

Iowa 8 Pennsylvania 24 

Kansas 4 Rhode Island 1 

Kentucky 1 South Carolina 2 

Maine 1 South Dakota 2 

Maryland 1 Texas 3 

Massachusetts 17 Utah 2 

Michigan 6 West Virginia 6 

Minnesota. 3 Wisconsin 1 

Missouri 1 Wyoming 3 



As there is continuous operation in electric plants the em- 
phasis in this wage report is placed on weekly earnings. The 
great majority of employees are either on a monthly or a weekly 
basis, although a small percentage of common labor is paid on 
an hourly basis. Fluctuations in the composite figures for both 
hourly and weekly earnings are due in general to the common 
labor group. 

221 



Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.278. By October, 1920, they 
had increased 104% to $.566. The decline from the latter period 
up to January, 1922 was 3.9%, leaving average hourly earnings 
at $.544, an increase of 96% over July, 1914. The trend of 
hourly earnings shows only a very gradual decline from the 
peak. 

In July, 1914 the average hourly earnings of male common 
labor were $.238. By October, 1920, they had increased 112% 
to $.505. The decline from the latter period up to January, 
1922, was 14.5% to $.432. In July, 1914, average hourly earn- 
ings of male skilled labor were $.287. In October, 1920 and 
December, 1921 they had increased 103% to $.582. The de- 
cline from this period up to January, 1922 was 1.4% to $.574. 
The trend remained practically stationary throughout the 
period covered by the investigation. By January, 1922, there- 
fore, the average hourly earnings of these two groups had in- 
creased sespectively 82% and 100% over the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were $14.68. By August, 1920, they 
had increased 89% to $27.80. The decline was 0.9% from the 
latter period up to January, 1922, at which time the average 
weekly earnings were $27.54, a net increase of 88% over July, 
1914. The general level of weekly earnings remained prac- 
tically horizontal throughout the period covered by the investi- 
gation. 

In July, 1914 the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $12.10. By August, 1920, they had increased 87% 
to $22.57. From the latter period up to January, 1922 they 
declined 19.1% to $18.26. In July, 1914, the average weekly 
earnings of male skilled labor were $15.32. The peak was reached 
in the last month covered by the investigation, December, 1921, 
when they had increased 100% to $30.67. The general level 
of from $29 to $30 remained practically stationary through- 
out the entire period covered by the investigation. By January, 
1922, therefore, the weekly earnings for these two groups had 
increased respectively 51% and 100% over the July, 1914 
levels. 

222 



uu 
9D 
BO 
7D 
BD 
5D 
40 
30 
ED 
10 

n 










// 


// / 


// 


/ / 


/ 







Generation and Distribution of Electricity 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 



JULY 

1914 

DOLLARS 
PER WEEK 

50r 



MEN-SKILLED- 



^EN-iiNSK,lVe^ 



ALL WASE EARNERS 



JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAP.. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC 



I92D 1921 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 



fe 



45 
40 
35 
30 
25 
20 
15 
10 
5 



// 



JULY 

1914 



■**,.* 



1920 



MEN-SKILLED-^ 

TTT'T 



ALL VVAGEIEAHNERS 



^ 5 t-'S«fri iN ^i cl t.--*7 



JUN. JUL AUG. SEP OCT: NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. N 



1921 



(National Industrial Conference Board) 

223 



Composite Payroll Data — Generation and Distribution of 
Electricity 



Period 



One 

Week 
In 



1914 
July 

1920 

Tune 

July 

Aug 

Sept 

Oct 

Nov 

Dec 

1921 

Jan 

Feb 

March.... 

April 

May 

June 

July* 

Aug 

Sept 

Oct 

Nov 

Dec 



Number Wage 

Earners 

Employed 



1914-22 
Establ. 

(138 
plants) 



6,282 



9,827 
10,177 
10,539 
10,558 
10,798 
10,882 
11,086 



9,883 
9,200 
9,167 

9,534 
9,565 
9,643 

9,140 
9,315 
9,330 
9,096 
9,151 
9,091 



1920-22 
Establ. 

(212 
plants) 



13,758 
14,161 
14,424 
14,590 
14,895 
15,151 
15,632 



14,217 
13,151 
13,353 
13,548 
13,352 
13,659 

13,156 
13,424 
13,204 
13,186 
13,033 
13,150 



Average Hours 



Av. 
Week 

Per 
Wage 
Earner 



52.8 



49.1 



47.7 

48.7 
48.2 

48.4 
49.0 
49.1 



Nomi- 
nal 
Week 



49.7 
50.1 
49.7 
50.5 
50 . 5 
50.6 



54.6 



52.7 
52.6 

52.5 
52.5 
52.5 
52.5 
52.2 



52.8 

52.4 
52.8 
52.2 
52 6 



53.6 
53.6 
53.6 
53.7 
53.5 
53.2 



wages 
(All Wage Earners) 



Av. 

Hriy. 

Earn- 
ings 



$.278 



545 
548 
.552 
557 
.566 
.563 
,564 



560 
561 
558 
553 
548 
546 

548 
538 
,545 
539 
539 
544 



Av. 

Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 



$14.68 



26.75 
26.58 
27.80 
27.31 
27.49 
27.06 
26.28 



26.75 
27.30 
26.92 
26.76 
26.82 
26.83 

27.23 
26.98 
27.09 
27.22 
27.25 
27.54 



Index Nos. 
Earnings 



Hrly. Wkly 



100 



196 

197 
199 
200 
204 
203 
203 



201 
202 

201 
199 
197 
196 

197 
194 
196 
194 
194 
196 



100 



182 
181 
189 
186 
187 
184 
179 



182 
186 

183 
182 
183 
183 

185 
184 
185 
185 
186 
188 



= See Introduction, p. 2. 



224 



THOUSANDS 

IBi— 



14 



IE 



ID 



JULY 

ISI4 



PER WEEK 
60^ 



55 



5D 



45 



40 



35 



3D 



55 

JL 

19 




14. 



Generation and Distribution of Electricity 

NUMBER DF WABE EARNERS 





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f 




































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ME 

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JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV DEC . 

1320 I9EI 





AVERAGE HOURS 


OF WORK 




















































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HMI 


Jl L 


WE 


:k 


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JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR APR. MAY JUN. JUL AUG. SEP. OCT. NOV. DEC 

1920 I9EI 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

225 



Employment 

Total employment in the establishments covered declined 
4.4% from June, 1920 up to the beginning of January, 1922. 
During this period the employment of male common labor 
increased 3.1% while that of male skilled labor declined 6.7%. 
It is presumed that there has been some shifting of employees 
from the skilled labor group to the common labor group. 

Employment in identical establishments between July, 1914 
and the end of the year 1921 increased 44.7%. 

Hours 

In July, 1914, 54.6 hours constituted the average nominal 
week. By June, 1920, the hours had declined to 52.7, and the 
general level of from 52.5 to 53.5 hours was maintained up to 
July, 1921. The last six months of 1921 witnessed an increase 
to slightly more than 53.5 hours. 

The average actual week per wage earner showed a decline from 
52.8 hours in July, 1914, to 49.1 hours in June, 1920. The 
fluctuations in working hours were due principally to the 
varying time worked by the common labor group. 

Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in electric light and power 
plants shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at $.544 or 96% above the July, 1914 level of $.278. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922, stood at $27.54 or 88% above the July, 1914 level of 
$14.68. 

3. The percentages of decline from the peak (3.9% in hourly 
earnings and 0.9% in weekly earnings) were far below those 
in manufacturing industries. 

4. Employment in electric light and power plants has been 
little affected by the general depression. From June, 1920 
up to the beginning of January, 1922, employment had de- 
clined 4.4%, but the total expansion of employment in the 
industry between July, 1914 and the end of 1921 amounted 
to approximately 45%. 

226 





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227 



5. The general wage situation in electric light plants 
was little affected by the economic depression. Owing to 
continuous operation and consequent maintenance of produc- 
tion, working force and hours, there can be little comparison 
made between employment and wage conditions in electric light 
plants and those of manufacturing establishments. 



223 



XXIII 

MANUFACTURE AND DISTRIBUTION OF GAS 

The wage investigation in this industry covered establish- 
ments engaged in the manufacture and distribution of gas. 
Returns were received from 61 plants, 50 of which supplied 
material for the last investigation. The largest number of 
wage earners employed in any one month in the 61 establish- 
ments was 7,336 in October, 1921. Over 16% of the wage earn- 
ers listed in the 1919 Census of Manufactures as then em- 
ployed in this industry were covered in this investigation. 
The geographical distribution within 24 states is as follows: 

California 2 Nebraska 1 

Colorado 1 New Jersey 2 

Connecticut 3 New York 9 

Georgia 1 Ohio 2 

Illinois 2 Pennsylvania 6 

Indiana 1 Rhode Island 1 

Kentucky 1 South Carolina 1 

Maryland 2 South Dakota 1 

Massachusetts 8 Vermont 3 

Michigan 5 Virginia 1 

Montana 1 Washington 1 

Minnesota 2 Wisconsin 4 

The chief importance of a wage inquiry among public utilities, 
which operate continuously, is to ascertain the trend of weekly 
earnings. Hourly earnings are of little interest, due to the fact 
that there is continuous operation in gas plants and that 
most of the employees are paid either on a monthly or weekly 
basis. There is a good proportion, however, of common labor 
paid on an hourly basis and it is this group that is responsible 
for most of the variations in the trend of composite earnings. 
The chief value of this study is to compare the general levels 
of wages in 1914 and 1920-1922. 

Wages 

(a) Hourly earnings: In July, 1914, the average hourly 
earnings of all wage earners were $.210. By September, 1920, 

229 



they had risen 116% to $.584. They declined 11.3% from the 
latter period up to January, 1922, at which time the average 
hourly earnings were $.518, an increase of 92% over July, 1914. 
The decline in hourly earnings was gradual throughout the 
last half of 1920 and the year 1921. 

In July, 1914 the average hourly earnings of male common- 
labor were $.208. In November, 1920 they had increased 160% 
over July, 1914, to $.541. From November, 1920 up to January, 
1922, they declined 15.3% to $.458. In July, 1914 the average 
hourly earnings of male skilled labor were $.318. By September, 
1920, they had increased 193% to $.613, declining 9.8% to 
$.553 from the latter period up to the beginning of 1922. By 
January, 1922, therefore, the average hourly earnings for the 
two groups had increased respectively 120% and 74% over 
the July, 1914 levels. 

(b) Weekly earnings: The average weekly earnings of all 
wage earners in July, 1914 were $14.01. By October, 1920, 
they had increased 114% to $30.02. The decline was 9% from 
the latter period up to January, 1922, at which time the average 
weekly earnings were $27.31, a net increase of 95% over July, 
1914. The decrease in wages was slight and far smaller than 
that in most manufacturing industries. 

In July, 1914 the average weekly earnings of male common 
labor were $10.77. By October, 1920, they had increased 148% 
to $26.76. From the latter period up to January, 1922 they 
declined 12.5% to $23.41. In July, 1914, average weekly earn- 
ings of male skilled labor were $16.58. By October, 1920, they 
had increased 94% to $32.21 . The decline from the latter period 
up to the beginning of 1922 was 7.6%, to $29.76. By January, 
1922 the average weekly earnings for the two groups had in- 
creased respectively 117% and 79% over the July, 1914 levels. 



Employment 

Total employment in establishments covered increased ap- 
proximately 9.5% from June, 1920 up to January, 1922. The 
increase in employment of male common labor during this 
period amounted to 4.1% and in that of male skilled labor 
13.1%. 

230 



Manufacture and Distribution of Gas 

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS 



uu 
90 
BO 
70 
BO 
50 
40 
30 
ED 
10 

n 










A 


/ / / 


/ / / 
/ / / ' 


/ 







JULY 

1914 



1914 



JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP DCT. NDV. D 



unskilled" 



tf^LLCo— 




gj- pm pjpME'p'g 



C. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL" AUG SEP OCT NOV. DEC. 



1920 1921 

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS 



fe 



45 






40 






35 






30 


/ 


/ 




// 


25 


//. 


/ / 




/ / ,-' 




/ / / 


20 




/ / 




/ / / 


15 


/ / 


' / 


10 






5 






R 




ji 


ILY 




MEN-UNSKILLED 



JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV DEC . JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT. NOV DEC . 



1320 1921 

(National Industrial Conference Board) 

231 



Composite Payroll Data — Manufacture 


and Distribution of Gas 




Number Wage 




Wages 




Period 


Earners 


Average Hours 


(All Wage Earners) 




Emp 


oyed 










One 
Week 


1914-22 

Estabi. 

(54 
plants) 


1920-22 

Estabi. 

(61 

plants) 


Av. 

Week 

Per 

Wage 
Earner 


Av. 
Hours 
Plant 
Oper- 
ation 


Nomi- 
nal 
Week 


Av. 

Hrly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Av. 

Wkly. 

Earn- 
ings 


Index Nos. 
Earnings 


In 


Hrly. 


Wkly. 


1914 




















July.... 


6,495 




52.0 




55.6 


$.270 


$14.01 


100 


100 


1920 




















June . . . 


6,369 


6,517 


50.9 




52.6 


.570 


29.01 


211 


207 


July.... 


6,505 


6,653 


51.8 




52.5 


.565 


29.27 


209 


209 


Aug. . . . 


6,509 


6,667 


51.5 




52.3 


.573 


29.51 


212 


211 


Sept 


6,635 


6,784 


50.3 




52.3 


.584 


29.37 


216 


210 


Oct 


6,962 


7,104 


51.8 




52.2 


.580 


30.02 


215 


214 


Nov 


7,016 


7,162 


50.8 




52.1 


.583 


29.59 


216 


211 


Dec. . . . 


7,000 


7,140 


50.5 




52.1 


.574 


28.98 


213 


206 


1921 




















Jan 


6,959 


7,081 


50.3 




52.2 


.565 


28.43 


209 


203 


Feb 


6,857 


6,975 


49.7 




52.2 


.561 


27.93 


208 


199 


March. . 


6,732 


6,899 


51.0 




52.5 


.568 


28.98 


210 


207 


April. .. 


6,845 


6,974 


50.5 




52.5 


.551 


27.85 


204 


199 


May . . . 


6,646 


6,777 


50.9 




52.6 


.537 


27.33 


199 


195 


June . . . 


6,497 


6,618 


50.9 




52.9 


.545 


27.73 


202 


198 


July*... 


6,813 


6,935 


54.0 




51.9 


.532 


28.73 


197 


205 


Aug. . . . 


6,715 


6,855 


53.6 




51.4 


.529 


28.33 


196 


202 


Sept 


6,878 


6,985 


52.6 




51.4 


.521 


27.39 


193 


196 


Oct 


7,093 


7,336 


52.9 




50.7 


.520 


27.49 


193 


196 


Nov 


7,084 


7,195 


52.4 




51.2 


.514 


26.84 


190 


192 


Dec. ... 


7,145 


7,254 


52.8 




51.2 


.518 


27.31 


192 


195 



*See Introduction, p. 2. 

Employment in identical establishments increased 10% 
between July, 1914 and the end of the year 1921. 



Hours 

In July, 1914, 55.6 hours constituted the average nominal week. 
During the last half of 1920 the hours averaged 52.3, while 
in the first half of 1921 they were 52.5 and during the latter 
half of 1921, 51.5. 

The average week per wage earner fell from 52 hours in July, 
1914, to 50.9 hours in June, 1920. During the period covered 
by the investigation there were fluctuations in the average 
week due chiefly to changes in time worked by the common 
labor group. There was a general tendency during the last 
half of 1921 toward longer working hours. 

232 



THOUSANDS 

a 



JULY 

1914 



Manufacture and Distribution of Gas 

NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS 




-feKILLEO 



^smipv 



t^"^P^l L . L P 



JUN. JUL. AUG. SER OCT. NOV. DEC . JAN 

I92Q 1921 



^•JSP^ALL WAGE EATJNEda 
■914-21 ESTAB_ 



^^ 



lirl5W#li™iH!r.\il* 



BD 



55 



50 



45 



40 



35 



30 



£5 

JULY 

1914 





AVERAGE HOURS 


OF WD 


3K 


















































—. 








-. 




N! 


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CTU 
WA 


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AL \ 
GE 


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lARf 








"**«<» 




" 


















*> 1- 


\ Mt 
slER 


W 



























































































































































(National Industrial Conference Board) 

233 



Conclusion 

The study of wages and hours in the gas plants shows that: 

1. Average hourly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $.518, or 92% above the 1914 level of $.21. 

2. Average weekly earnings of all wage earners on January 1, 
1922 stood at $27.31, or 95% above the 1914 level of $14.01. 

3. The decline in both hourly and weekly earnings from the 
peak up to January, 1922, was far less than that in other 
manufacturing industries. 

4. There was an increase in employment of 9.5% between 
June 1920 and the beginning of 1922. 



234 









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PUBLICATIONS 

OF THE 

NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE BOARD 

{Prices given are for paper-bound copies; cloth binding fifty cents additional) 

Research Reports 

Research Report No. 1. Workmen's Compensation Acts in the United States — The Legal 
Phase. 60 pages. April, 1917. Revised, August, 1919. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 2. Analysis of British Wartime Reports on Hours of Work as Related 
to Output and Fatigue. 58 pages. November, 1917. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 3. Strikes in American Industry in Wartime. 20 pages. March, 1918. 
50 cents. 

Research Report No. 4. Hours of Work as Related to Output and Health of Workers — 
Cotton Manufacturing. 64 pages. March, 1918. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 5. The Canadian Industrial Disputes Investigation Act. 28 pages. 
April, 1918. 50 cents. 

Research Report No. 6. Sickness Insurance or Sickness Prevention? 24 pages. May, 1918. 
50 cents. 

Research Report No. 7. Hours of Work as Related to Output and Health of Workers — 
Boot and Shoe Industry. 76 pages. June, 1918. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 8. Wartime Employment of Women in the Metal Trades. 80 pages. 
July, 1918. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 9. Wartime Changes in the Cost of Living: July, 1914 — June, 1918. 
82 pages. August, 1918. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 10. Arbitration and Wage-Fixing in Australia. 52 pages. October, 1918. 
$1.00. 

Research Report No. 11. The Eight-Hour Day Defined. 12 pages. December, 1918. 50 cents. 

Research Report No. 12. Hours of Work as Related to Output and Health of Workers — 
Wool Manufacturing. 69 pages. December, 1918. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 13. Rest Periods for Industrial Workers. 55 pages. January, 1919. 
$1.00. 

Research Report No. 14. Wartime Changes in the Cost of Living: July, 1914 — November, 
1918. 33 pages. February, 1919. 75 cents. 

Research Report No. IS. Problems of Industrial Readjustment in the United States. 58 
pages. February, 1919. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 16. Hours of Work as Related to Output and Health of Workers — 
Silk Manufacturing. 54 pages. March, 1919. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 17. Wartime Changes in the Cost of Living: July, 1914 — March, 1919. 
31 pages. May, 1919. 75 cents. 

Research Report No. 18. Hours of Work as Related to Output and Health of Workers — 
Metal Manufacturing Industries. 62 pages. July, 1919. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 19. Changes in the Cost of Living: July, 1914 — July, 1919. 31 pages. 
September, 1919. 75 cents. 

Research Report No. 20. Wartime Changes in Wages: September, 1914 — March, 1919. 128 
pages. September, 1919. $1.50. 

Research Report No. 21. Works Councils in the United States. 135 pages. October, 1919. 
$1.50. 

Research Report No. 22. The Cost of Living Among Wage Earners — Fall River, Massachu- 
setts, October, 1919. 18 pages. November, 1919. 50 cents. 

Research Report No. 23. Conciliation and Arbitration in New Zealand. 46 pages. Decem- 
ber, 1919. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 24. The Cost of Living Among Wage Earners — Lawrence, Massachu- 
setts, November, 1919. 21 pages. December, 1919. 50 cents. 



Research Reports — continued 

Research Report No. 25. Changes in the Cost of Living: July, 1914 — November, 1919. 24 
pages. December, 1919. 75 cents. 

Research Report No. 26. A Works Council Manual. 32 pages. February, 1920. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 27. The Hours of Work Problem in Five Major Industries. 91 pages. 
March, 1920. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 28. Changes in the Cost of Living: July, 1914 — March, 1920. 24 pages. 
May, 1920. 75 cents. 

Research Report No. 29. Practical Experience with Profit-Sharing in Industrial Establish- 
ments. 86 pages. June, 1920. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 30. Changes in the Costo f Living: July, 1914 — July, 1920. 28 pages. 
September, 1920. 75 cents. 

Research Report No. 31. Changes in Wages During and Since the War: September, 1914 — 
March, 1920. 54 pages. September, 1920. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 32. Practical Experience with the Work Week of Forty-Eight Hours 
or Less. 96 pages. December, 1920. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 33. Changes in the Cost of Living: July, .1914 — November, 1920. 29 
pages. December, 1920. 75 cents. 

Research Report No. 34. Health Service in Industry. 64 pages. January, 1921. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 35. Wage Changes in Industry: September, 1914 — December, 1920. 
50 pages. March, 1921. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 36. Changes in the Cost of Living: July, 1914 — March, 1921. 28 pages. 
April, 1921. 75 cents. 

Research Report No. 37. Cost of Health Service in Industry. 36 pages. May, 1921. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 38. Experience with Trade Union Agreements — Clothing Industries. 
135 pages. June, 1921. $1.50. 

Research Report No. 39. Changes in the Cost of Living: July, 1914 — July, 1921. 25 pages. 
August, 1921. 75 cents. 

Research Report No. 40. Wages in Great Britain, France and Germany. 113 pages. August, 

1921. $1.50. 

Research Report No. 41. Family Budgets of American Wage-Earners: A Critical Analysis. 
103 pages. September, 1921. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 42. The Metric versus the English System of Weights and Measures. 
250 pages. October, 1921. $2.50. 

Research Report No. 43. The Unemployment Problem. 100 pages. November, 1921. $1.00. 

Research Report No. 44. Changes in the Cost of Living: July, 1914 — November, 1921. 30 
pages. December, 1921. 75 cents. 

Research Report No. 45. Wages and Hours in American Industry: July, 1914 — July, 1921. 
202 pages. December, 1921. $2.00. 

Research Report No. 46. Railroad Wages and Working Rules. 130 pages. February, 1922. $2.00. 

Research Report No. 47. Wages and Hours in Anthracite Mining: June, 1914 — October, 1921. 
67 pages. March, 1922. $1.50. 

Research Report No. 48. The International Labor Organization of the League of Nations. 
160 pages. April, 1922. $2.00. 

Research Report No. 49. Changes in the Cost of Living: July, 1914 — March, 1922. 33 pages. 
April, 1922. 75 cents. 

Research Report No. 50. Experience with Works Councils in the United States. 190 pages. 
May, 1922. $2.00. 

Reseanh Report No. 51. Unemployment Insurance in Theory and Practice. 127 pages. June, 

1922. $1.50. 

Research Report No. 52. Wages and Hours in American Manufacturing Industries: July, 
1914 — January, 1922. 235 pages. July, 1922. $2.00. 



Special Reports 

Special Report No. 1. A Case of Federal Propaganda in Our Public Schools. 13 pages- 
February, 1919. 50 cents. 

Special Report No. 2. War Revenue Act of 1918 (A Brief Analysis). 18 pages. March, 1919. 
50 cents. 

Special Report No. 3. Interim Report of the European Commission of the National Indus- 
trial Conference Board. 34 pages. July, 1919. 50 cents. 

Special Report No. 4. Is Compulsory Health Insurance Desirable? 12 pages. October, 

1919. 50 cents. 

Special Report No. 5. Vital Issues in the Industrial Conference at Washington, D. C. 

15 pages. November, 1919. 50 cents. 
special Report No. 6. Problems of Labor and Industry in Great Britain, France, and Italy. 

Report of the European Commission. 406 pages. November, 1919. $2.50. 
Special Report No. 7. The Cost of Living Among Wage Earners — North Hudson County, 

New Jersey, January, 1920. 20 pages. March, 1920. 50 cents. 
Special Report No. 8. The Cost of Living Among Wage-Earners — Greenville and Pelzer, 

South Carolina, and Charlotte, North Carolina, January and February, 1920. 25 

pages. May, 1920. 50 cents. 
Special Report No. 9. Proceedings of the National Industrial Tax Conference at Chicago, 

Illinois, April 16, 1920. 113 pages. May, 1920. $1.00. 
Special Report No. 10. Should Trade Unions and Employers' Associations Be Made Legally 

Responsible ? 35 pages. June, 1920. 75 cents. 
Special Report No. 11. The Closed Union Shop versus the Open Shop: Their Social and 

Economic Value Compared. 27 pages. July, 1920. 75 cents. 
Special Report No. 12. Should the State Interfere in the Determination of Wage Rates? 

150 pages. August, 1920. $1.50. 
Special Report No. 13. The Cost of Living Among Wage Earners — Cincinnati, Ohio, May, 

1920. 18 pages. July, 1920. 50 cents. 

Special Report No. 14. Unwarranted Conclusions Regarding the Eight-Hour and Ten-Hour 
Workday. 21 pages. August, 1920. 50 cents. 

Special Report No. 15. Problems of Labor and Industry in Germany. 65 pages. September, 
1920. $1.00. 

Special Report No. 16. The Cost of Living Among Wage Earners — Worcester, Massachu- 
setts, June, 1920. 20 pages. October, 1920. 50 cents. 

Special Report No. 17. Proceedings of the Second National Industrial Tax Conference, 
New York, October 22 and 23, 1920. 200 pages. November, 1920. $1.50. 

Special Report No. 18. Report of the Tax Committee of the National Industrial Conference 
Board, on the Federal Tax Problem. 58 pages. December, 1920. 75 cents. 

Special Report No. 19. The Cost of Living Among Wage Earners — Detroit, Michigan, Sep- 
tember, 1921. 22 pages. October, 1921. 50 cents. 

Special Report No. 20. A Digest of "The Metric versus the English System of Weights and 
Measures" (Research Report No. 42). 16 pages. December, 1921. 25 cents. 

Special Report No. 21. The Cost of Living Among Wage Earners — Anthracite Region of 
Pennsylvania, February, 1922. 41 pages. April, 1922. 75 cents. 

Special Report No. 22. The Physician in Industry: A Symposium. 98 pages. June, 1922. $1.00 

Industrial News Survey 
Important Industrial news in concise form. A Digest of Industrial 
News and Comment as Published in Reliable Newspapers, Maga- 
zines, Reviews, Special Articles, and Government Documents. 
Weekly $2.00 per year. 

Wall Chart Service 

Graphic presentations of vital and outstanding facts of industrial- 
economic conditions and movements in the United States and foreign 
countries, based on the Board's investigations and on other reliable 
sources. 

Single charts (18" x 24 ") $1.00 each 

Sets of fifty consecutive charts $37.50 per set 



H186 84 




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